A single 43-bp sopC repeat of plasmid mini-F is sufficient to allow assembly of a functional nucleoprotein partition complex

Distinct architectural requirements for the parS centromeric sequence of the pSM19035 plasmid partition machinery

Three-component ParABS partition systems ensure stable inheritance of many bacterial chromosomes and low-copy-number plasmids. ParA localizes to the nucleoid through its ATP-dependent nonspecific DNA-binding activity, whereas centromere-like parS-DNA and ParB form partition complexes that activate ParA-ATPase to drive the system dynamics. The essential parS sequence arrangements vary among ParABS systems, reflecting the architectural diversity of their partition complexes. Here, we focus on the pSM19035 plasmid partition system that uses a ParB_pSM of the ribbon-helix-helix (RHH) family. We show that parS_pSM with four or more contiguous ParB_pSM-binding sequence repeats is required to assemble a stable ParA_pSM-ParB_pSM complex and efficiently activate the ParA_pSM-ATPase, stimulating complex disassembly. Disruption of the contiguity of the parS_pSM sequence array destabilizes the ParA_pSM-ParB_pSM complex and prevents efficient ATPase activation. Our findings reveal the unique architecture of the pSM19035 partition complex and how it interacts with nucleoid-bound ParA_pSM-ATP.

Plasmid Localization and Partition in Enterobacteriaceae

Plasmids are ubiquitous in the microbial world and have been identified in almost all species of bacteria that have been examined. Their localization inside the bacterial cell has been examined for about two decades; typically, they are not randomly distributed, and their positioning depends on copy number and their mode of segregation. Low-copy-number plasmids promote their own stable inheritance in their bacterial hosts by encoding active partition systems, which ensure that copies are positioned in both halves of a dividing cell. High-copy plasmids rely on passive diffusion of some copies, but many remain clustered together in the nucleoid-free regions of the cell. Here we review plasmid localization and partition (Par) systems, with particular emphasis on plasmids from Enterobacteriaceae and on recent results describing the in vivo localization properties and molecular mechanisms of each system. Partition systems also cause plasmid incompatibility such that distinct plasmids (with different replicons) with the same Par system cannot be stably maintained in the same cells. We discuss how partition-mediated incompatibility is a consequence of the partition mechanism.

A conserved mechanism drives partition complex assembly on bacterial chromosomes and plasmids

Chromosome and plasmid segregation in bacteria are mostly driven by ParABS systems. These DNA partitioning machineries rely on large nucleoprotein complexes assembled on centromere sites (parS). However, the mechanism of how a few parS-bound ParB proteins nucleate the formation of highly concentrated ParB clusters remains unclear despite several proposed physico-mathematical models. We discriminated between these different models by varying some key parameters in vivo using the F plasmid partition system. We found that "Nucleation & caging" is the only coherent model recapitulating in vivo data. We also showed that the stochastic self-assembly of partition complexes (i) is a robust mechanism, (ii) does not directly involve ParA ATPase, (iii) results in a dynamic structure of discrete size independent of ParB concentration, and (iv) is not perturbed by active transcription but is by protein complexes. We refined the "Nucleation & caging" model and successfully applied it to the chromosomally encoded Par system of Vibrio cholerae, indicating that this stochastic self-assembly mechanism is widely conserved from plasmids to chromosomes.

ParI, an orphan ParA family protein from Pseudomonas putida KT2440-specific genomic island, interferes with the partition system of IncP-7 plasmids

Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is an ideal soil bacterium for expanding the range of degradable compounds via the recruitment of various catabolic plasmids. In the course of our investigation of the host range of IncP-7 catabolic plasmids pCAR1, pDK1 and pWW53, we found that the IncP-7 miniplasmids composed of replication and partition loci were exceptionally unstable in KT2440, which is the authentic host of the archetypal IncP-9 plasmid pWW0. This study identified ParI, a homologue of ParA family of plasmid partitioning proteins encoded on the KT2440-specific cryptic genomic island, as a negative host factor for the maintenance of IncP-7 plasmids. The miniplasmids were destabilized by ectopic expression of ParI, and the loss rate correlated with the copy number of ParB binding sites in the centromeric parS region. Mutations in the conserved ATPase domains of ParI abolished destabilization of miniplasmids. Furthermore, ParI destabilized miniplasmid derivatives carrying the partition-deficient parA mutations but failed to impact the stability of miniplasmid derivatives with parB mutations in the putative arginine finger. Altogether, these results indicate that ParI interferes with the IncP-7 plasmid partition system. This study extends canonical partition-mediated incompatibility of plasmids beyond heterogeneous mobile genetic elements, namely incompatibility between plasmid and genomic island.

Bacterial plasmid partition machinery: a minimalist approach to survival

The accurate segregation or partition of replicated DNA is essential for ensuring stable genome transmission. Partition of bacterial plasmids requires only three elements: a centromere-like DNA site and two proteins, a partition NTPase, and a centromere-binding protein (CBP). Because of this simplicity, partition systems have served as tractable model systems to study the fundamental molecular mechanisms required for DNA segregation at an atomic level. In the last few years, great progress has been made in this endeavor. Surprisingly, these studies have revealed that although the basic partition components are functionally conserved between three types of plasmid partition systems, these systems employ distinct mechanisms of DNA segregation. This review summarizes the molecular insights into plasmid segregation that have been achieved through these recent structural studies.

ParAB-mediated intermolecular association of plasmid P1 parS sites

The P1 plasmid partition system depends on ParA-ParB proteins acting on centromere-like parS sites for a faithful plasmid segregation during the Escherichia coli cell cycle. In vivo we placed parS into host E. coli chromosome and on a Sop(+) F plasmid and found that the stability of a P1 plasmid deleted for parA-parB could be partially restored when parB was expressed in trans. In vitro, parS, conjugated to magnetic beads could capture free parS DNA fragment in presence of ParB. In vitro, ParA stimulated ParB-mediated association of intermolecular parS sites in an ATP-dependent manner. However, in the presence of ADP, ParA reduced ParB-mediated pairing to levels below that seen by ParB alone. ParB of P1 pairs the parS sites of plasmids in vivo and fragments in vitro. Our findings support a model whereby ParB complexes P1 plasmids, ParA-ATP stimulates this interaction and ParA-ADP inhibits ParB pairing activity in a parS-independent manner.

Centromere binding specificity in assembly of the F plasmid partition complex

The segregation of plasmid F of Escherichia coli is highly reliable. The Sop partition locus, responsible for this stable maintenance, is composed of two genes, sopA and sopB and a centromere, sopC, consisting of 12 direct repeats of 43 bp. Each repeat carries a 16-bp inverted repeat motif to which SopB binds to form a nucleoprotein assembly called the partition complex. A database search for sequences closely related to sopC revealed unexpected features that appeared highly conserved. We have investigated the requirements for specific SopB-sopC interactions using a surface plasmon resonance imaging technique. We show that (i) only 10 repeats interact specifically with SopB, (ii) no base outside the 16-bp sopC sites is involved in binding specificity, whereas five bases present in each arm are required for interactions, and (iii) the A-C central bases contribute to binding efficiency by conforming to a need for a purine-pyrimidine dinucleotide. We have refined the SopB-sopC binding pattern by electro-mobility shift assay and found that all 16 bp are necessary for optimal SopB binding. These data and the model we propose, define the basis of the high binding specificity of F partition complex assembly, without which, dispersal of SopB over DNA would result in defective segregation.

Pushing and pulling in prokaryotic DNA segregation

In prokaryotes, DNA can be segregated by three different types of cytoskeletal filaments. The best-understood type of partitioning (par) locus encodes an actin homolog called ParM, which forms dynamically unstable filaments that push plasmids apart in a process reminiscent of mitosis. However, the most common type of par locus, which is present on many plasmids and most bacterial chromosomes, encodes a P loop ATPase (ParA) that distributes plasmids equidistant from one another on the bacterial nucleoid. A third type of par locus encodes a tubulin homolog (TubZ) that forms cytoskeletal filaments that move rapidly with treadmill dynamics.

Insight into F plasmid DNA segregation revealed by structures of SopB and SopB-DNA complexes

Accurate DNA segregation is essential for genome transmission. Segregation of the prototypical F plasmid requires the centromere-binding protein SopB, the NTPase SopA and the sopC centromere. SopB displays an intriguing range of DNA-binding properties essential for partition; it binds sopC to form a partition complex, which recruits SopA, and it also coats DNA to prevent non-specific SopA–DNA interactions, which inhibits SopA polymerization. To understand the myriad functions of SopB, we determined a series of SopB–DNA crystal structures. SopB does not distort its DNA site and our data suggest that SopB–sopC forms an extended rather than wrapped partition complex with the SopA-interacting domains aligned on one face. SopB is a multidomain protein, which like P1 ParB contains an all-helical DNA-binding domain that is flexibly attached to a compact (β₃–α)₂ dimer-domain. Unlike P1 ParB, the SopB dimer-domain does not bind DNA. Moreover, SopB contains a unique secondary dimerization motif that bridges between DNA duplexes. Both specific and non-specific SopB–DNA bridging structures were observed. This DNA-linking function suggests a novel mechanism for in trans DNA spreading by SopB, explaining how it might mask DNA to prevent DNA-mediated inhibition of SopA polymerization.

Molecular basis of the supercoil deficit induced by the mini-F plasmid partition complex

Formation of a partition complex on plasmid F by binding of SopB protein to the sopC centromere is the first step in the partition process that ensures stability of F in dividing cells. Establishment of the complex enables nonspecific binding of SopB to neighboring DNA, which extends the partition complex and provokes reduction of negative supercoiling of the plasmid. This reduction is believed to reflect winding of DNA into positive supercoils about SopB to create a nucleoprotein structure of probable importance to partition. We have searched for evidence that SopB alters plasmid topology. Permutation analysis indicated only modest bending of linear DNA fragments, and in vivo DNase I footprinting revealed no enhanced cleavages indicating curvature. In vitro, SopB binding left no topological trace in relaxed-circular DNA treated with topoisomerase I or in nicked circles closed by ligase. In vivo, novobiocin-mediated inhibition of DNA gyrase relaxed a plasmid carrying the partition complex but left no residue of positive supercoils. Hence, SopB does not reduce plasmid supercoiling directly. We did observe that SopB partly prevented removal of negative supercoils from plasmid DNA by topoisomerase I and partly prevented ligation of nicked circles, indicating that it acts as a physical obstacle. The supercoil deficit is thus better explained as SopB recoating of just-replicated DNA, which shelters it from gyrase and from topological changes in SopB-free DNA. This topological simplicity distinguishes the Sop partition complex from other complexes described.

Structural biology of plasmid partition: uncovering the molecular mechanisms of DNA segregation

DNA segregation or partition is an essential process that ensures stable genome transmission. In prokaryotes, partition is best understood for plasmids, which serve as tractable model systems to study the mechanistic underpinnings of DNA segregation at a detailed atomic level owing to their simplicity. Specifically, plasmid partition requires only three elements: a centromere-like DNA site and two proteins: a motor protein, generally an ATPase, and a centromere-binding protein. In the first step of the partition process, multiple centromere-binding proteins bind co-operatively to the centromere, which typically consists of several tandem repeats, to form a higher-order nucleoprotein complex called the partition complex. The partition complex recruits the ATPase to form the segrosome and somehow activates the ATPase for DNA separation. Two major families of plasmid par systems have been delineated based on whether they utilize ATPase proteins with deviant Walker-type motifs or actin-like folds. In contrast, the centromere-binding proteins show little sequence homology even within a given family. Recent structural studies, however, have revealed that these centromere-binding proteins appear to belong to one of two major structural groups: those that employ helix-turn-helix DNA-binding motifs or those with ribbon-helix-helix DNA-binding domains. The first structure of a higher-order partition complex was recently revealed by the structure of pSK41 centromere-binding protein, ParR, bound to its centromere site. This structure showed that multiple ParR ribbon-helix-helix motifs bind symmetrically to the tandem centromere repeats to form a large superhelical structure with dimensions suitable for capture of the filaments formed by the actinlike ATPases. Surprisingly, recent data indicate that the deviant Walker ATPase proteins also form polymer-like structures, suggesting that, although the par families harbour what initially appeared to be structurally and functionally divergent proteins, they actually utilize similar mechanisms of DNA segregation. Thus, in the present review, the known Par protein and Par-protein complex structures are discussed with regard to their functions in DNA segregation in an attempt to begin to define, at a detailed atomic level, the molecular mechanisms involved in plasmid segregation.

Distribution of centromere-like parS sites in bacteria: insights from comparative genomics

Partitioning of low-copy-number plasmids to daughter cells often depends on ParA and ParB proteins acting on centromere-like parS sites. Similar chromosome-encoded par loci likely also contribute to chromosome segregation. Here, we used bioinformatic approaches to search for chromosomal parS sites in 400 prokaryotic genomes. Although the consensus sequence matrix used to search for parS sites was derived from two gram-positive species, putative parS sites were identified on the chromosomes of 69% of strains from all branches of bacteria. Strains that were not found to contain parS sites clustered among relatively few branches of the prokaryotic evolutionary tree. In the vast majority of cases, parS sites were identified in origin-proximal regions of chromosomes. The widespread conservation of parS sites across diverse bacteria suggests that par loci evolved very early in the evolution of bacterial chromosomes and that the absence of parS, parA, and/or parB in certain strains likely reflects the loss of one of more of these loci much later in evolution. Moreover, the highly conserved origin-proximal position of parS suggests par loci are primarily devoted to regulating processes that involve the origin region of bacterial chromosomes. In species containing multiple chromosomes, the parS sites found on secondary chromosomes diverge significantly from those found on their primary chromosomes, suggesting that chromosome segregation of multipartite genomes requires distinct replicon-specific par loci. Furthermore, parS sites on secondary chromosomes are not well conserved among different species, suggesting that the evolutionary histories of secondary chromosomes are more diverse than those of primary chromosomes.

Plasmid partition and incompatibility ? the focus shifts

The mitotic apparatus that a plasmid uses to ensure its stable inheritance responds to the appearance of an additional copy of the plasmid's centromere by segregating it from the pre-existing copies: if the new copy arises by replication of the plasmid the result is partition, if it arrives on a different plasmid the result is incompatibility. Incompatibility thus serves as a probe of the partition mechanism. Coupling of distinct plasmids via their shared centromeres to form mixed pairs has been the favoured explanation for centromere-based incompatibility, because it supports a long-standing assumption that pairing of plasmid replicas is a prerequisite for their partition into daughter cells. Recent results from molecular genetic and fluorescence microscopy studies challenge this mixed pairing model. Partition incompatibility is seen to result from various processes, including titration, randomized positioning and a form of mixed pairing that is based on co-activation of the same partition event rather than direct contact between partition complexes. The perspectives thus opened onto the partition mechanism confirm the continuing utility of incompatibility as an approach to understanding bacterial mitosis. The results considered are compatible with the view that direct pairing of plasmids is not essential to plasmid partition.

P1 partition complex assembly involves several modes of protein-DNA recognition

Assembly of P1 plasmid partition complexes at the partition site, parS, is nucleated by a dimer of P1 ParB and Escherichia coli integration host factor (IHF), which promotes loading of more ParB dimers and the pairing of plasmids during the cell cycle. ParB binds several copies of two distinct recognition motifs, known as A- and B-boxes, which flank a bend in parS created by IHF binding. The recent crystal structure of ParB bound to a partial parS site revealed two relatively independent DNA-binding domains and raised the question of how a dimer of ParB recognizes its complicated arrangement of recognition motifs when it loads onto the full parS site in the presence of IHF. In this study, we addressed this question by examining ParB binding activities to parS mutants containing different combinations of the A- and B-box motifs in parS. Binding was measured to linear and supercoiled DNA in electrophoretic and filter binding assays, respectively. ParB showed preferences for certain motifs that are dependent on position and on plasmid topology. In the simplest arrangement, one motif on either side of the bend was sufficient to form a complex, although affinity differed depending on the motifs. Therefore, a ParB dimer can load onto parS in different ways, so that the initial ParB-IHF-parS complex consists of a mixture of different orientations of ParB. This arrangement supports a model in which parS motifs are available for interas well as intramolecular parS recognition.

Identification of a megaplasmid centromere reveals genetic structural diversity within the repABC family of basic replicons

The basic replication unit of many plasmids and second chromosomes in the alpha-proteobacteria consists of a repABC locus that encodes the trans- and cis-acting components required for both semiautonomous replication and replicon maintenance in a cell population. In terms of physical genetic organization and at the nucleotide sequence level, repABC loci are well conserved across various genera. As with all repABC-type replicons that have been genetically characterized, the 1.4 Mb pSymA and 1.7 Mb pSymB megaplasmids from the plant endosymbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti encode strong incompatibility (inc) determinants. We have identified a novel inc sequence upstream of the repA2 gene in pSymA that is not present on pSymB and not reported in other repABC plasmids that have been characterized. This region, in concert with the repA and repB genes, stabilizes a test plasmid indicating that it constitutes a partitioning (par) system for the megaplasmid. Purified RepB binds to this sequence and binding may be enhanced by RepA. We have isolated 19 point mutations that eliminate incompatibility, reduce RepB binding or the stabilization phenotype associated with this sequence and all of these map to a 16-nucleotide palindromic sequence centred 330 bp upstream of the repA2 gene. An additional five near-perfect repeats of this palindrome are located further upstream of the repA2 gene and we show that they share some conservation with known RepB binding sites in different locations on other repABC plasmids and to two sequences found on the tumour inducing plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. These additional palindromes also bind RepB but one of them does not display obvious incompatibility effects. A heterogenic distribution of par sequences demonstrates unexpected diversity in the structural genetic organization of repABC loci, despite their obvious levels of similarity.

The bacterial segrosome: a dynamic nucleoprotein machine for DNA trafficking and segregation

The genomes of unicellular and multicellular organisms must be partitioned equitably in coordination with cytokinesis to ensure faithful transmission of duplicated genetic material to daughter cells. Bacteria use sophisticated molecular mechanisms to guarantee accurate segregation of both plasmids and chromosomes at cell division. Plasmid segregation is most commonly mediated by a Walker-type ATPase and one of many DNA-binding proteins that assemble on a cis-acting centromere to form a nucleoprotein complex (the segrosome) that mediates intracellular plasmid transport. Bacterial chromosome segregation involves a multipartite strategy in which several discrete protein complexes potentially participate. Shedding light on the basis of genome segregation in bacteria could indicate new strategies aimed at combating pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Plasmid segregation mechanisms

Bacterial plasmids encode partitioning (par) loci that ensure ordered plasmid segregation prior to cell division. par loci come in two types: those that encode actin-like ATPases and those that encode deviant Walker-type ATPases. ParM, the actin-like ATPase of plasmid R1, forms dynamic filaments that segregate plasmids paired at mid-cell to daughter cells. Like microtubules, ParM filaments exhibit dynamic instability (i.e., catastrophic decay) whose regulation is an important component of the DNA segregation process. The Walker box ParA ATPases are related to MinD and form highly dynamic, oscillating filaments that are required for the subcellular movement and positioning of plasmids. The role of the observed ATPase oscillation is not yet understood. However, we propose a simple model that couples plasmid segregation to ParA oscillation. The model is consistent with the observed movement and localization patterns of plasmid foci and does not require the involvement of plasmid-specific host-encoded factors.

P1 plasmid partition: in vivo evidence for the ParA- and ParB-mediated formation of an anchored parS complex in the absence of a partner parS

ParA and ParB proteins and cis-acting site, parS, are required to partition plasmid P1 faithfully to daughter cells. The process may initiate from plasmids paired by ParB at which recruited ParA then acts to effect the separation. We previously reported evidence for ParB-mediated pairing of parS sites on plasmids in the absence of ParA. In DNA gyrase-inhibited cells, the pairing prevented diffusion of transcription-generated positive supercoils. This supercoil trapping was almost entirely in plasmid dimers, where the location of the parS sites in cis facilitated their pairing. Here we show that the addition of ParA blocked supercoil diffusion also in plasmid monomers. The possibility that this result is attributed to an enhancement by ParA of ParB-mediated pairing in trans is consistent with our finding that ParA appeared to partially suppress the pairing defect of two mutant ParB proteins. However, enhanced pairing alone could not account for the diffusion barrier in plasmid monomers; it was manifest in monomers even when they were largely devoid of partners in the same cell. Apparently, ParA altered the ParB-parS complex such that it could no longer swivel, most likely by anchoring it, a reaction of probable relevance to partition.

Probing plasmid partition with centromere-based incompatibility

Low-copy number plasmids of bacteria rely on specific centromeres for regular partition into daughter cells. When also present on a second plasmid, the centromere can render the two plasmids incompatible, disrupting partition and causing plasmid loss. We have investigated the basis of incompatibility exerted by the F plasmid centromere, sopC, to probe the mechanism of partition. Measurements of the effects of sopC at various gene dosages on destabilization of mini-F, on repression of the sopAB operon and on occupancy of mini-F DNA by the centromere-binding protein, SopB, revealed that among mechanisms previously proposed, no single one fully explained incompatibility. sopC on multicopy plasmids depleted SopB by titration and by contributing to repression. The resulting SopB deficit is proposed to delay partition complex formation and facilitate pairing between mini-F and the centromere vector, thereby increasing randomization of segregation. Unexpectedly, sopC on mini-P1 exerted strong incompatibility if the P1 parABS locus was absent. A mutation preventing the P1 replication initiation protein from pairing (handcuffing) reduced this strong incompatibility to the level expected for random segregation. The results indicate the importance of kinetic considerations and suggest that mini-F handcuffing promotes pairing of SopB-sopC complexes that can subsequently segregate as intact aggregates.

Plasmid partitioning and the spreading of P1 partition protein ParB

Bacterial plasmids of low copy number, P1 prophage among them, are actively partitioned to nascent daughter cells. The process is typically mediated by a pair of plasmid-encoded proteins and a cis-acting DNA site or cluster of sites, referred to as the plasmid centromere. P1 ParB protein, which binds to the P1 centromere (parS), can spread for several kilobases along flanking DNA. We argue that studies of mutant ParB that demonstrated a strong correlation between spreading capacity and the ability to engage in partitioning may be misleading, and describe here a critical test of the dependence of partitioning on the spreading of the wild-type protein. Physical constraints imposed on the spreading of P1 ParB were found to have only a minor, but reproducible, effect on partitioning. We conclude that, whereas extensive ParB spreading is not required for partitioning, spreading may have an auxiliary role in the process.

Sequence analysis of the genome of the temperate Yersinia enterocolitica phage PY54

The temperate Yersinia phage PY54 belongs to the unusual group of phages that replicate as linear plasmids with covalently closed ends. Besides Escherichia coli phage N15, PY54 is the only member of this group to be identified. We have determined the complete sequence (46,339 bp) of the PY54 genome. Bioinformatic analyses revealed 67 open reading frames (ORFs) with good coding potential located on both DNA strands. The comparison of the deduced PY54 gene products with known proteins encoded by other phages and bacteria along with functional studies have enabled us to assign the possible functions of 25 ORFs. In the left arm of the PY54 genome, we identified a number of ORFs that obviously code for head and tail proteins. Furthermore, this part of the phage genome contains genes probably involved in plasmid partitioning. Regarding the predicted gene functions and gene order, the PY54 and N15 left arms are similar. However, there are only weak DNA homologies and, in contrast to N15, the Yersinia phage harbours only a few ORFs related to genes found in lambdoid phages. The PY54 right arm comprises mainly regulatory genes as well as genes important for plasmid replication, DNA methylation, and host cell lysis. Out of 36 deduced products of the right arm, 13 revealed strongest database homologies to N15 proteins, of which the protelomerase and the Rep protein are exclusively homologous to their N15 counterparts. A number of PY54 genes essential for the lytic or lysogenic cycle were identified by functional analysis and characterization of phage mutants. In order to study transcription during the lytic and lysogenic stage, we analysed 34 PY54 ORFs by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR. The phage transcription patterns in lysogenic bacteria and at the late lytic stage of infection are nearly identical. The reasons for this finding are spontaneous release of phages during lysogeny and a high rate of phages that lysogenize their Yersinia host upon infection.

Pairing of P1 plasmid partition sites by ParB

The mechanisms by which bacterial plasmids and chromosomes are partitioned are largely obscure, but it has long been assumed that the molecules to be separated are initially paired, as are sister chromatids in mitosis. We offer in vivo evidence that the partition protein ParB encoded by the bacterial plasmid P1 can pair cis-acting partition sites of P1 inserted in a small, multicopy plasmid. ParB was shown previously to be capable of extensive spreading along DNA flanking the partition sites. Experiments in which ParB spreading was constrained by physical roadblocks suggest that extensive spreading is not required for the pairing process.

Role of the ATP-binding site of SopA protein in partition of the F plasmid

SopA belongs to a large family of bacterial partition protein ATPases. It helps stabilize the F plasmid by acting as the primary repressor of transcription of the sopAB operon, preventing the destabilizing effects of Sop protein excess. It is also thought to act directly in the F partition mechanism. We have examined the role of SopA in partition and repression by observing the consequences of replacing an invariant ATP-binding site lysine, K120, by glutamine or arginine. Circular dichroism studies of the purified mutant proteins revealed no major differences from wild-type, but in the presence of ADP or ATP each protein showed a characteristic spectrum which suggested a distinct conformational change. The K120Q mutant retained most of the wild-type ATPase activity while the K120R mutant lost it. In neither case was the residual activity stimulated by SopB, as occurs for wild-type SopA. The strength of sop promoter repression by the mutant SopA proteins alone was comparable to that resulting from SopB-enhancement of wild-type SopA, but SopB enhanced repression by the mutant SopA proteins either slightly (K120R) or not at all (K120Q). Mini-Fs in which the sop operon was controlled by a constitutive promoter were destabilized by the mutations, demonstrating the need for SopA and its ATP-binding site in the partition process. The K120R mini-F was lost at the same rate as a mini-F lacking the sopC centromere, the K120Q mutant was lost faster. SopAK120R at high levels was more effective than SopA(+) in disrupting the partition complex, whereas SopAK120Q did not disrupt it at all. These results suggest that one function of SopA in the partition mechanism is to break the paired plasmid structure to allow F molecules to segregate to daughter cells.

The bacterial ParA-ParB partitioning proteins

A pair of genes designated parA and parB are encoded by many low copy number plasmids and bacterial chromosomes. They work with one or more cis-acting sites termed centromere-like sequences to ensure better than random predivisional partitioning of the DNA molecule that encodes them. The centromere-like sequences nucleate binding of ParB and titrate sufficient protein to create foci, which are easily visible by immuno-fluorescence microscopy. These foci normally follow the plasmid or the chromosomal replication oriC complexes. ParA is a membrane-associated ATPase that is essential for this symmetric movement of the ParB foci. In Bacillus subtilis ParA oscillates from end to end of the cell as does MinD of E. coli, a relative of the ParA family. ParA may facilitate ParB movement along the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane to encounter and become tethered to the next replication zone. The ATP-bound form of ParA appears to adopt the conformation needed to drive partition. Hydrolysis to create ParA-ADP or free ParA appears to favour a form that is not located at the pole and binds to DNA rather than the partition complex. Definition of the protein domains needed for interaction with membranes and the conformational changes that occur on interaction with ATP/ADP will provide insights into the partitioning mechanism and possible targets for inhibitors of partitioning.

DNA segregation in bacteria

Segregation of DNA in bacterial cells is an efficient process that assures that every daughter cell receives a copy of genomic and plasmid DNA. In this review, we focus primarily on observations in recent years, including the visualization of DNA and proteins at the subcellular level, that have begun to define the events that separate DNA molecules. Unlike the process of chromosome segregation in higher cells, segregation of the bacterial chromosome is a continuous process in which chromosomes are separated as they are replicated. Essential to separation is the initial movement of sister origins to opposite ends of the cell. Subsequent replication and controlled condensation of DNA are the driving forces that move sister chromosomes toward their respective origins, which establishes the polarity required for segregation. Final steps in the resolution and separation of sister chromosomes occur at the replication terminus, which is localized at the cell center. In contrast to the chromosome, segregation of low-copy plasmids, such as Escherichia coli F, P1, and R1, is by mechanisms that resemble those used in eukaryotic cells. Each plasmid has a centromere-like site to which plasmid-specified partition proteins bind to promote segregation. Replication of plasmid DNA, which occurs at the cell center, is followed by rapid partition protein-mediated separation of sister plasmids, which become localized at distinct sites on either side of the division plane. The fundamental similarity between chromosome and plasmid segregation-placement of DNA to specific cell sites-implies an underlying cellular architecture to which both DNA and proteins refer.

Disruption of the F plasmid partition complex in vivo by partition protein SopA

The SopA protein plays an essential, though so far undefined, role in partition of the mini-F plasmid but, when overproduced, it causes loss of mini-F from growing cells. Our investigation of this phenomenon has revealed that excess SopA protein reduces the linking number of mini-F. It appears to do so by disturbing the partition complex, in which SopB normally introduces local positive supercoiling upon binding to the sopC centromere, as it occurs only in plasmids carrying sopC and in the presence of SopB protein. SopA-induced reduction in linking number is not associated with altered sop promoter activity or levels of SopB protein and occurs in the absence of changes in overall supercoil density. SopA protein mutated in the ATPase nucleotide-binding site (K120Q) or lacking the presumed SopB interaction domain does not induce the reduction in linking number, suggesting that excess SopA disrupts the partition complex by interacting with SopB to remove positive supercoils in an ATP-dependent manner. Destabilization of mini-F also depends on sopC and SopB, but the K120Q mutant retains some capacity for destabilizing mini-F. SopA-induced destabilization thus appears to be complex and may involve more than one SopA activity. The results are interpreted in terms of a regulatory role for SopA in the oligomerization of SopB dimers bound to the centromere.

Plasmid and chromosome partitioning: surprises from phylogeny

Plasmids encode partitioning genes (par) that are required for faithful plasmid segregation at cell division. Initially, par loci were identified on plasmids, but more recently they were also found on bacterial chromosomes. We present here a phylogenetic analysis of par loci from plasmids and chromosomes from prokaryotic organisms. All known plasmid-encoded par loci specify three components: a cis-acting centromere-like site and two trans-acting proteins that form a nucleoprotein complex at the centromere (i.e. the partition complex). The proteins are encoded by two genes in an operon that is autoregulated by the par-encoded proteins. In all cases, the upstream gene encodes an ATPase that is essential for partitioning. Recent cytological analyses indicate that the ATPases function as adaptors between a host-encoded component and the partition complex and thereby tether plasmids and chromosomal origin regions to specific subcellular sites (i.e. the poles or quarter-cell positions). Two types of partitioning ATPases are known: the Walker-type ATPases encoded by the par/sop gene family (type I partitioning loci) and the actin-like ATPase encoded by the par locus of plasmid R1 (type II partitioning locus). A phylogenetic analysis of the large family of Walker type of partitioning ATPases yielded a surprising pattern: most of the plasmid-encoded ATPases clustered into distinct subgroups. Surprisingly, however, the par loci encoding these distinct subgroups have different genetic organizations and thus divide the type I loci into types Ia and Ib. A second surprise was that almost all chromosome-encoded ATPases, including members from both Gram-negative and Gram-positive Bacteria and Archaea, clustered into one distinct subgroup. The phylogenetic tree is consistent with lateral gene transfer between Bacteria and Archaea. Using database mining with the ParM ATPase of plasmid R1, we identified a new par gene family from enteric bacteria. These type II loci, which encode ATPases of the actin type, have a genetic organization similar to that of type Ib loci.

pTAR-encoded proteins in plasmid partitioning

Partition cassettes, essential for the segregational stability of low-copy-number bacterial plasmids, typically encode two autoregulated proteins and an adjacent cis-acting centromere analog to which one or perhaps both proteins bind. The diminutive partition region of pTAR of Agrobacterium spp. was reported to be exceptional, encoding only a single protein, ParA (D. R. Gallie and C. I. Kado, J. Mol. Biol. 193:465-478, 1987). However, resequencing of the region revealed two small downstream genes, parB and orf-84, of which only parB was found to be essential for partitioning in A. tumefaciens. Purified ParA exhibited a weak ATPase activity that was modestly increased by nonspecific DNA. ParB bound in vitro to repeated sequences present in a region, parS, that possesses centromere and operator functions and within which we identified the primary transcription start site by primer extension. In certain respects the Par proteins behave normally in the foreign host Escherichia coli. In E. coli, as in A. tumefaciens, ParB repressed the partition operon; ParA, inactive alone, augmented this repression. Functional similarities between the partition system of pTAR and those of other plasmids and bacteria are prominent, despite differences in size, organization, and amino acid sequence.

Transcriptional silencing in bacteria

Transcriptional silencing and repression are modes of negative control of gene expression that differ in specificity. Repressors, when present at promoter-specific binding sites, interfere locally with RNA polymerase function. Silencing proteins act by covering a continuous region of DNA, compete with a broader spectrum of proteins and are non-specific with respect to the promoters affected. Studies of transcriptional silencing promise an entrée to relatively unexplored areas of prokaryotic biology.

Partition of the linear plasmid N15: interactions of N15 partition functions with the sop locus of the F plasmid

A locus close to one end of the linear N15 prophage closely resembles the sop operon which governs partition of the F plasmid; the promoter region contains similar operator sites, and the two putative gene products have extensive amino acid identity with the SopA and -B proteins of F. Our aim was to ascertain whether the N15 sop homologue functions in partition, to identify the centromere site, and to examine possible interchangeability of function with the F Sop system. When expressed at a moderate level, N15 SopA and -B proteins partly stabilize mini-F which lacks its own sop operon but retains the sopC centromere. The stabilization does not depend on increased copy number. Likewise, an N15 mutant with most of its sop operon deleted is partly stabilized by F Sop proteins and fully stabilized by its own. Four inverted repeat sequences similar to those of sopC were located in N15. They are distant from the sop operon and from each other. Two of these were shown to stabilize a mini-F sop deletion mutant when N15 Sop proteins were provided. Provision of the SopA homologue to plasmids with a sopA deletion resulted in further destabilization of the plasmid. The N15 Sop proteins exert effective, but incomplete, repression at the F sop promoter. We conclude that the N15 sop locus determines stable inheritance of the prophage by using dispersed centromere sites. The SopB-centromere and SopA-operator interactions show partial functional overlap between N15 and F. SopA of each plasmid appears to interact with SopB of the other, but in a way that is detrimental to plasmid maintenance.

The F plasmid centromere, sopC, is required for full repression of the sopAB operon

The SopB protein of the F plasmid has a dual role in the partition of F plasmid copies to daughter cells prior to division. It binds to the sopC centromere site to form the partition complex needed for stabilizing the plasmid, and it interacts with SopA to repress transcription of the sopAB operon, thus preventing the destabilization that results from excess SopB. We have isolated sop mutants by screening for unstable inheritance of mutagenized mini-F DNA. Four of the mutants resulted from different missense mutations in sopB. All four were deficient, to varying degrees, in autoregulation of Sop protein synthesis. The mutant proteins showed diminished capacity for reducing the linking number of mini-F and for destabilizing a plasmid carrying sopC, indicating that reduced ability to form a normal complex with sopC might underlie the autoregulation defect. Repression of the transcription of a sop promoter- lacZ fusion by SopA and SopB was strongly enhanced in the presence of sopC, in cis or in trans, and the enhancement was reduced or nullified when wild-type sopB was replaced by the mutant sopB alleles. A single 43 bp unit of sopC was almost as effective as sopC itself in enhancing repression. The results show that sopC is necessary for full repression of the sop promoter. They thus indicate a previously unsuspected role for this centromere site, and suggest that autoregulation and partition might normally be coordinated processes.

Silencing of genes flanking the P1 plasmid centromere

Partition modules stabilize bacterial plasmids and chromosomes by actively promoting their segregation into daughter cells. The partition module of plasmid P1 is typical and consists of a centromere site, parS, and genes that encode proteins ParA and ParB. We show that ParB can silence genes flanking parS (to which ParB binds), apparently by polymerizing along the DNA from a nucleation site at parS. Wild-type ParB contacts an extensive region of P1 DNA; silencing-defective ParB proteins, which were found to be partition-defective, are less able to spread. Hence, the silenced structure appears to function in partitioning.

DNA sequencing and analysis of the low-Ca2+-response plasmid pCD1 of Yersinia pestis KIM5

The low-Ca2+-response (LCR) plasmid pCD1 of the plague agent Yersinia pestis KIM5 was sequenced and analyzed for its genetic structure. pCD1 (70,509 bp) has an IncFIIA-like replicon and a SopABC-like partition region. We have assigned 60 apparently intact open reading frames (ORFs) that are not contained within transposable elements. Of these, 47 are proven or possible members of the LCR, a major virulence property of human-pathogenic Yersinia spp., that had been identified previously in one or more of Y. pestis or the enteropathogenic yersiniae Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Of these 47 LCR-related ORFs, 35 constitute a continuous LCR cluster. The other LCR-related ORFs are interspersed among three intact insertion sequence (IS) elements (IS100 and two new IS elements, IS1616 and IS1617) and numerous defective or partial transposable elements. Regional variations in percent GC content and among ORFs encoding effector proteins of the LCR are additional evidence of a complex history for this plasmid. Our analysis suggested the possible addition of a new Syc- and Yop-encoding operon to the LCR-related pCD1 genes and gave no support for the existence of YopL. YadA likely is not expressed, as was the case for Y. pestis EV76, and the gene for the lipoprotein YlpA found in Y. enterocolitica likely is a pseudogene in Y. pestis. The yopM gene is longer than previously thought (by a sequence encoding two leucine-rich repeats), the ORF upstream of ypkA-yopJ is discussed as a potential Syc gene, and a previously undescribed ORF downstream of yopE was identified as being potentially significant. Eight other ORFs not associated with IS elements were identified and deserve future investigation into their functions.

Mechanism of DNA segregation in prokaryotes: replicon pairing by parC of plasmid R1

Prokaryotic chromosomes and plasmids encode partitioning systems that are required for DNA segregation at cell division. The systems are thought to be functionally analogous to eukaryotic centromeres and to play a general role in DNA segregation. The parA system of plasmid R1 encodes two proteins ParM and ParR, and a cis-acting centromere-like site denoted parC. The ParR protein binds to parC in vivo and in vitro. The ParM protein is an ATPase that interacts with ParR specifically bound to parC. Using electron microscopy, we show here that parC mediates efficient pairing of plasmid molecules. The pairing requires binding of ParR to parC and is stimulated by the ParM ATPase. The ParM mediated stimulation of plasmid pairing is dependent on ATP hydrolysis by ParM. Using a ligation kinetics assay, we find that ParR stimulates ligation of parC-containing DNA fragments. The rate-of-ligation was increased by wild type ParM protein but not by mutant ParM protein deficient in the ATPase activity. Thus, two independent assays show that parC mediates pairing of plasmid molecules in vitro. These results are consistent with the proposal that replicon pairing is part of the mechanism of DNA segregation in prokaryotes.

Membrane association of active plasmid partitioning protein A in Escherichia coli

QsopA and SopA, proteins essential for stable maintenance of low copy number plasmids and encoded on plasmid QpH1 of Coxiella burnetii and the F plasmid of Escherichia coli, respectively, are shown to be membrane associated using three independent approaches: isolation of hybrid protein A-PhoA proteins that display PhoA (bacterial alkaline phosphatase) activity indicating a periplasmic location, biochemical fractionation by flotation gradient centrifugation, and subcellular localization by immunoelectron microscopy. These data provide insight into the mechanism by which partitioning protein A spatially directs plasmids into daughter cells at bacterial division.

Localization of F plasmid SopB protein to positions near the poles of Escherichia coli cells

The subcellular localization of the SopB protein, which is encoded by the Escherichia coli F plasmid and is involved in the partition of the single-copy plasmid, was directly visualized through the expression of the protein fused to the jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP). The fusion protein, but not GFP itself, was found to localize to positions close but not at the poles of exponentially growing cells. Neither the presence of other F-encoded proteins nor the binding of SopB to its recognition sites within the sopC locus of F is required for this localization. Examination of derivatives of the fusion protein lacking various regions of SopB suggests that the signal for the cellular localization of SopB resides in a region close to its N terminus. It is plausible that the near polar localization of SopB may serve the function of keeping a segregated pair of F plasmids apart while the cell septum is being formed. The plausible relation between the specific location of SopB and its suppression of sopC-linked genes when overexpressed is also discussed.

Molecular dissection of a protein SopB essential for Escherichia coli F plasmid partition

Biochemical and genetic experiments were carried out to deduce the structural and functional domains of SopB protein involved in the equipartition of F plasmid. The protein is dimeric. Proteolytic and chemical footprinting studies support earlier genetic analyses that the binding of SopB to specific sites within the F plasmid sopC locus involves mainly the C-terminal region. In vivo, the expression of a high level of SopB protein is known to repress sopC-linked genes. This silencing activity is shown to be unaffected by the deletion of 35 N-terminal residues, but abolished when 71 or more were removed from the N terminus. An excess of SopB protein does not extend its in vitro binding outside sopC, implicating participation of a host factor(s) in SopB-mediated gene silencing. A data base search identified a number of SopB homologues, including both chromosomally encoded bacterial proteins and phage- and plasmid-encoded proteins known to be involved in partition. Sequence homology is limited to the N-terminal half, suggesting that the N-terminal regions of these proteins are conserved to interact with a conserved cellular structure(s), whereas the C-terminal regions have diverged to bind different nucleotide sequences.

SopB protein-mediated silencing of genes linked to the sopC locus of Escherichia coli F plasmid

Expression of a high level of F-plasmid-encoded SopB protein in Escherichia coli is found to repress genes linked to sopC, a sequence element of F consisting of 12 tandemly joined imperfect repeats of a 43-bp motif. Repression of a gene can occur over a distance of at least 10 kb from the sopC element and is not affected by the relative orientation of sopC. In the repressed state, accessibility of intracellular DNA to cellular proteins is greatly reduced in the region containing sopC, as monitored by the trapping of the covalent intermediate between DNA and DNA gyrase and by Dam methylase-catalyzed DNA methylation. These results signify the formation of a nucleoprotein structure emanating from sopC and are discussed in terms of position-dependent silencing of genes in general and the IncG type of plasmid incompatibility in particular.