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Ramm B, Heermann T, Schwille P. The E. coli MinCDE system in the regulation of protein patterns and gradients. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:4245-4273. [PMID: 31317204 PMCID: PMC6803595 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03218-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Molecular self-organziation, also regarded as pattern formation, is crucial for the correct distribution of cellular content. The processes leading to spatiotemporal patterns often involve a multitude of molecules interacting in complex networks, so that only very few cellular pattern-forming systems can be regarded as well understood. Due to its compositional simplicity, the Escherichia coli MinCDE system has, thus, become a paradigm for protein pattern formation. This biological reaction diffusion system spatiotemporally positions the division machinery in E. coli and is closely related to ParA-type ATPases involved in most aspects of spatiotemporal organization in bacteria. The ATPase MinD and the ATPase-activating protein MinE self-organize on the membrane as a reaction matrix. In vivo, these two proteins typically oscillate from pole-to-pole, while in vitro they can form a variety of distinct patterns. MinC is a passenger protein supposedly operating as a downstream cue of the system, coupling it to the division machinery. The MinCDE system has helped to extract not only the principles underlying intracellular patterns, but also how they are shaped by cellular boundaries. Moreover, it serves as a model to investigate how patterns can confer information through specific and non-specific interactions with other molecules. Here, we review how the three Min proteins self-organize to form patterns, their response to geometric boundaries, and how these patterns can in turn induce patterns of other molecules, focusing primarily on experimental approaches and developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Ramm
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Tamara Heermann
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Petra Schwille
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152, Martinsried, Germany.
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2
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MinC N- and C-Domain Interactions Modulate FtsZ Assembly, Division Site Selection, and MinD-Dependent Oscillation in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol 2019; 201:JB.00374-18. [PMID: 30455283 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00374-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Min system in Escherichia coli, consisting of MinC, MinD, and MinE proteins, regulates division site selection by preventing assembly of the FtsZ-ring (Z-ring) and exhibits polar oscillation in vivo MinC antagonizes FtsZ polymerization, and in vivo, the cellular location of MinC is controlled by a direct association with MinD at the membrane. To further understand the interactions of MinC with FtsZ and MinD, we performed a mutagenesis screen to identify substitutions in minC that are associated with defects in cell division. We identified amino acids in both the N- and C-domains of MinC that are important for direct interactions with FtsZ and MinD in vitro, as well as mutations that modify the observed in vivo oscillation of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-MinC. Our results indicate that there are two distinct surface-exposed sites on MinC that are important for direct interactions with FtsZ, one at a cleft on the surface of the N-domain and a second on the C-domain that is adjacent to the MinD interaction site. Mutation of either of these sites leads to slower oscillation of GFP-MinC in vivo, although the MinC mutant proteins are still capable of a direct interaction with MinD in phospholipid recruitment assays. Furthermore, we demonstrate that interactions between FtsZ and both sites of MinC identified here are important for assembly of FtsZ-MinC-MinD complexes and that the conserved C-terminal end of FtsZ is not required for MinC-MinD complex formation with GTP-dependent FtsZ polymers.IMPORTANCE Bacterial cell division proceeds through the coordinated assembly of the FtsZ-ring, or Z-ring, at the site of division. Assembly of the Z-ring requires polymerization of FtsZ, which is regulated by several proteins in the cell. In Escherichia coli, the Min system, which contains MinC, MinD, and MinE proteins, exhibits polar oscillation and inhibits the assembly of FtsZ at nonseptal locations. Here, we identify regions on the surface of MinC that are important for contacting FtsZ and destabilizing FtsZ polymers.
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3
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Ke L, Cao LJ, Geng MT, Wang CC, Yao Y, Xiao Y, Huang W, Li RM, Min Y, Guo JC. Identification and expression analysis of MinD gene involved in plastid division in cassava. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2018; 83:76-86. [PMID: 30286695 DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2018.1520075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Cassava is a tropical crop known for its starchy root and excellent properties. Considering that starch biosynthesis in the amyloplast is affected by its division, it appears conceivable that the regulation of plastid division plays an important role in starch accumulation. As a member of the Min system genes, MinD participated in the spatial regulation of the position of the plastid division site.In our studies, sequence analysis and phylogenetic analysis showed that MeMinD has been highly conserved during the evolutionary process. Subcellular localisation indicated that MeMinD carries a chloroplast transit peptide and was localised in the chloroplast. Overexpression of MeMinD resulted in division site misplacement and filamentous formation in E. coli, indicating that MeMinD protein was functional across species. MeMinD exhibited different spatial and temporal expression patterns which was highly expressed in the source compared to that in the sink organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ke
- a Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilisation of Tropical Bioresource , Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University , Haikou , China
| | - Liang-Jing Cao
- b Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology , Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences , Haikou , China
| | - Meng-Ting Geng
- a Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilisation of Tropical Bioresource , Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University , Haikou , China
| | - Cong-Cong Wang
- a Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilisation of Tropical Bioresource , Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University , Haikou , China
| | - Yuan Yao
- b Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology , Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences , Haikou , China
| | - Yu Xiao
- a Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilisation of Tropical Bioresource , Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University , Haikou , China
| | - Wu Huang
- a Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilisation of Tropical Bioresource , Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University , Haikou , China
| | - Rui-Mei Li
- b Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology , Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences , Haikou , China
| | - Yi Min
- a Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilisation of Tropical Bioresource , Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University , Haikou , China
| | - Jian-Chun Guo
- b Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology , Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences , Haikou , China
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4
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Zou Y, Li Y, Dillon JAR. The distinctive cell division interactome of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. BMC Microbiol 2017; 17:232. [PMID: 29233095 PMCID: PMC5727935 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-017-1140-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacterial cell division is an essential process driven by the formation of a Z-ring structure, as a cytoskeletal scaffold at the mid-cell, followed by the recruitment of various proteins which form the divisome. The cell division interactome reflects the complement of different interactions between all divisome proteins. To date, only two cell division interactomes have been characterized, in Escherichia coli and in Streptococcus pneumoniae. The cell divison proteins encoded by Neisseria gonorrhoeae include FtsZ, FtsA, ZipA, FtsK, FtsQ, FtsI, FtsW, and FtsN. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the cell division interactome of N. gonorrhoeae using several different methods to identify protein-protein interactions. We also characterized the specific subdomains of FtsA implicated in interactions with FtsZ, FtsQ, FtsN and FtsW. RESULTS Using a combination of bacterial two-hybrid (B2H), glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assays, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), nine interactions were observed among the eight gonococcal cell division proteins tested. ZipA did not interact with any other cell division proteins. Comparisons of the N. gonorrhoeae cell division interactome with the published interactomes from E. coli and S. pneumoniae indicated that FtsA-FtsZ and FtsZ-FtsK interactions were common to all three species. FtsA-FtsW and FtsK-FtsN interactions were only present in N. gonorrhoeae. The 2A and 2B subdomains of FtsANg were involved in interactions with FtsQ, FtsZ, and FtsN, and the 2A subdomain was involved in interaction with FtsW. CONCLUSIONS Results from this research indicate that N. gonorrhoeae has a distinctive cell division interactome as compared with other microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Zou
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada.,Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, International Vaccine Centre, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Yan Li
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, International Vaccine Centre, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E3, Canada.,Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A5, Canada
| | - Jo-Anne R Dillon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada. .,Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, International Vaccine Centre, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E3, Canada. .,Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A5, Canada.
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5
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Ayed SH, Cloutier AD, McLeod LJ, Foo ACY, Damry AM, Goto NK. Dissecting the role of conformational change and membrane binding by the bacterial cell division regulator MinE in the stimulation of MinD ATPase activity. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:20732-20743. [PMID: 29066619 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.805945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial cell division regulators MinD and MinE together with the division inhibitor MinC localize to the membrane in concentrated zones undergoing coordinated pole-to-pole oscillation to help ensure that the cytokinetic division septum forms only at the mid-cell position. This dynamic localization is driven by MinD-catalyzed ATP hydrolysis, stimulated by interactions with MinE's anti-MinCD domain. This domain is buried in the 6-β-stranded MinE "closed" structure, but is liberated for interactions with MinD, giving rise to a 4-β-stranded "open" structure through an unknown mechanism. Here we show that MinE-membrane interactions induce a structural change into a state resembling the open conformation. However, MinE mutants lacking the MinE membrane-targeting sequence stimulated higher ATP hydrolysis rates than the full-length protein, indicating that binding to MinD is sufficient to trigger this conformational transition in MinE. In contrast, conformational change between the open and closed states did not affect stimulation of ATP hydrolysis rates in the absence of membrane binding, although the MinD-binding residue Ile-25 is critical for this conformational transition. We therefore propose an updated model where MinE is brought to the membrane through interactions with MinD. After stimulation of ATP hydrolysis, MinE remains bound to the membrane in a state that does not catalyze additional rounds of ATP hydrolysis. Although the molecular basis for this inhibited state is unknown, previous observations of higher-order MinE self-association may explain this inhibition. Overall, our findings have general implications for Min protein oscillation cycles, including those that regulate cell division in bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saud H Ayed
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Adam D Cloutier
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Laura J McLeod
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Alexander C Y Foo
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Adam M Damry
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Natalie K Goto
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
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6
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Abstract
With the realization that bacteria achieve exquisite levels of spatiotemporal organization has come the challenge of discovering the underlying mechanisms. In this review, we describe three classes of such mechanisms, each of which has physical origins: the use of landmarks, the creation of higher-order structures that enable geometric sensing, and the emergence of length scales from systems of chemical reactions coupled to diffusion. We then examine the diversity of geometric cues that exist even in cells with relatively simple geometries, and end by discussing both new technologies that could drive further discovery and the implications of our current knowledge for the behavior, fitness, and evolution of bacteria. The organizational strategies described here are employed in a wide variety of systems and in species across all kingdoms of life; in many ways they provide a general blueprint for organizing the building blocks of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ned S Wingreen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544;
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7
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Makroczyová J, Jamroškovič J, Krascsenitsová E, Labajová N, Barák I. Oscillating behavior of Clostridium difficile Min proteins in Bacillus subtilis. Microbiologyopen 2016; 5:387-401. [PMID: 26817670 PMCID: PMC4905992 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Revised: 12/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In rod‐shaped bacteria, the proper placement of the division septum at the midcell relies, at least partially, on the proteins of the Min system as an inhibitor of cell division. The main principle of Min system function involves the formation of an inhibitor gradient along the cell axis; however, the establishment of this gradient differs between two well‐studied gram‐negative and gram‐positive bacteria. While in gram‐negative Escherichia coli, the Min system undergoes pole‐to‐pole oscillation, in gram‐positive Bacillus subtilis, proper spatial inhibition is achieved by the preferential attraction of the Min proteins to the cell poles. Nevertheless, when E.coli Min proteins are inserted into B.subtilis cells, they still oscillate, which negatively affects asymmetric septation during sporulation in this organism. Interestingly, homologs of both Min systems were found to be present in various combinations in the genomes of anaerobic and endospore‐forming Clostridia, including the pathogenic Clostridium difficile. Here, we have investigated the localization and behavior of C.difficile Min protein homologs and showed that MinDE proteins of C.difficile can oscillate when expressed together in B.subtilis cells. We have also investigated the effects of this oscillation on B.subtilis sporulation, and observed decreased sporulation efficiency in strains harboring the MinDE genes. Additionally, we have evaluated the effects of C.difficile Min protein expression on vegetative division in this heterologous host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Makroczyová
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ján Jamroškovič
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Eva Krascsenitsová
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Nad'a Labajová
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Imrich Barák
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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8
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The Gonococcal NlpD Protein Facilitates Cell Separation by Activating Peptidoglycan Cleavage by AmiC. J Bacteriol 2015; 198:615-22. [PMID: 26574512 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00540-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Key steps in bacterial cell division are the synthesis and subsequent hydrolysis of septal peptidoglycan (PG), which allow efficient separation of daughter cells. Extensive studies in the Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium Escherichia coli have revealed that this hydrolysis is highly regulated spatially and temporally. Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an obligate Gram-negative, diplococcal pathogen and is the only causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. We investigated how cell separation proceeds in this diplococcal organism. We demonstrated that deletion of the nlpD gene in strain FA1090 leads to poor growth and to an altered colony and cell morphology. An isopropyl-beta-d-galactopyranoside (IPTG)-regulated nlpD complemented construct can restore these defects only when IPTG is supplied in the growth medium. Thin-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the nlpD mutant strain grew in large clumps containing live and dead bacteria, which was consistent with deficient cell separation. Biochemical analyses of purified NlpD protein showed that it was able to bind purified PG. Finally, we showed that, although NlpD has no hydrolase activity itself, NlpD potentiates the hydrolytic activity of AmiC. These results indicate that N. gonorrhoeae NlpD is required for proper cell growth and division through its interactions with the amidase AmiC. IMPORTANCE N. gonorrhoeae is the sole causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. The incidence of antibiotic-resistant gonococcal infections has risen sharply in recent years, and N. gonorrhoeae has been classified as a "superbug" by the CDC. Since there is a dearth of new antibiotics to combat gonococcal infections, elucidating the essential cellular process of N. gonorrhoeae may point to new targets for antimicrobial therapies. Cell division and separation is one such essential process. We identified and characterized the gonococcal nlpD gene and showed that it is essential for cell separation. In contrast to other pathogenic bacteria, the gonococcal system is streamlined and does not appear to have any redundancies.
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9
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Liu GL, Parti RP, Dillon JAR. Suppression of ERK activation in urethral epithelial cells infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and its isogenic minD mutant contributes to anti-apoptosis. Microbes Infect 2014; 17:317-22. [PMID: 25554485 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2014.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Revised: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
In gonococci-infected transduced human urethral epithelial cells (THUEC), the role of ERK, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), in apoptosis is unknown. We observed lowering of ERK activation in THUEC following infection with anti-apoptosis-inducing Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain CH811. An isogenic cell division mutant of this strain, Ng CJSD1 (minD deficient), which is large and abnormally shaped, reduced ERK phosphorylation levels even more than its parental strain in THUEC. This led to higher anti-apoptosis in mutant-infected cells as compared to the parental strain-infected cells. Our results suggest that N. gonorrhoeae infection reduces ERK activation in THUEC contributing to anti-apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- GuanQun L Liu
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, W.P. Thompson Building 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E2, Canada
| | - Rajinder P Parti
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, W.P. Thompson Building 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E2, Canada; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Center (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E3, Canada
| | - Jo-Anne R Dillon
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, W.P. Thompson Building 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E2, Canada; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Center (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E3, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E5, Canada.
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10
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Nabu S, Lawung R, Isarankura-Na-Ayudhya P, Isarankura-Na-Ayudhya C, Roytrakul S, Prachayasittikul V. Reference map and comparative proteomic analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae displaying high resistance against spectinomycin. J Med Microbiol 2014; 63:371-385. [PMID: 24567501 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.067595-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A proteome reference map of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was successfully established using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in conjunction with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. This map was further applied to compare protein expression profiles of high-level spectinomycin-resistant (clinical isolate) and -susceptible (reference strain) N. gonorrhoeae following treatment with subminimal inhibitory concentrations (subMICs) of spectinomycin. Approximately 200 protein spots were visualized by Coomassie brilliant blue G-250 staining and 66 spots representing 58 unique proteins were subsequently identified. Most of the identified proteins were analysed as cytoplasmic proteins and belonged to the class of energy metabolism. Comparative proteomic analysis of whole protein expression of susceptible and resistant gonococci showed up to 96% similarity while eight proteins were found to be differentially expressed in the resistant strain. In the presence of subMICs of spectinomycin, it was found that 50S ribosomal protein L7/L12, an essential component for ribosomal translocation, was upregulated in both strains, ranging from 1.5- to 3.5-fold, suggesting compensatory mechanisms of N. gonorrhoeae in response to antibiotic that inhibits protein synthesis. Moreover, the differential expression of proteins involved in energy metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and the cell envelope was noticeably detected, indicating significant cellular responses and adaptation against antibiotic stress. Such knowledge provides valuable data, not only fundamental proteomic data, but also knowledge of the mode of action of antibiotic and secondary target proteins implicated in adaptation and compensatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunanta Nabu
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Applied Technology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Ratana Lawung
- Center of Medical Laboratory Services, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand.,Department of Clinical Microbiology and Applied Technology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | | | | | - Sittiruk Roytrakul
- Genome Institute, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
| | - Virapong Prachayasittikul
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Applied Technology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
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11
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Monahan LG, Liew ATF, Bottomley AL, Harry EJ. Division site positioning in bacteria: one size does not fit all. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:19. [PMID: 24550892 PMCID: PMC3910319 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial regulation of cell division in bacteria has been a focus of research for decades. It has been well studied in two model rod-shaped organisms, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, with the general belief that division site positioning occurs as a result of the combination of two negative regulatory systems, Min and nucleoid occlusion. These systems influence division by preventing the cytokinetic Z ring from forming anywhere other than midcell. However, evidence is accumulating for the existence of additional mechanisms that are involved in controlling Z ring positioning both in these organisms and in several other bacteria. In some cases the decision of where to divide is solved by variations on a common evolutionary theme, and in others completely different proteins and mechanisms are involved. Here we review the different ways bacteria solve the problem of finding the right place to divide. It appears that a one-size-fits-all model does not apply, and that individual species have adapted a division-site positioning mechanism that best suits their lifestyle, environmental niche and mode of growth to ensure equal partitioning of DNA for survival of the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh G Monahan
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew T F Liew
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Amy L Bottomley
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Elizabeth J Harry
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
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12
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How to get (a)round: mechanisms controlling growth and division of coccoid bacteria. Nat Rev Microbiol 2013; 11:601-14. [PMID: 23949602 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro3088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria come in a range of shapes, including round, rod-shaped, curved and spiral cells. This morphological diversity implies that different mechanisms exist to guide proper cell growth, division and chromosome segregation. Although the majority of studies on cell division have focused on rod-shaped cells, the development of new genetic and cell biology tools has provided mechanistic insight into the cell cycles of bacteria with different shapes, allowing us to appreciate the underlying molecular basis for their morphological diversity. In this Review, we discuss recent progress that has advanced our knowledge of the complex mechanisms for chromosome segregation and cell division in bacteria which have, deceptively, the simplest possible shape: the cocci.
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13
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Chiou PY, Luo CH, Chang KC, Lin NT. Maintenance of the cell morphology by MinC in Helicobacter pylori. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71208. [PMID: 23936493 PMCID: PMC3731275 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the model organism Escherichia coli, Min proteins are involved in regulating the division of septa formation. The computational genome analysis of Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative microaerophilic bacterium causing gastritis and peptic ulceration, also identified MinC, MinD, and MinE. However, MinC (HP1053) shares a low identity with those of other bacteria and its function in H. pylori remains unclear. In this study, we used morphological and genetic approaches to examine the molecular role of MinC. The results were shown that an H. pylori mutant lacking MinC forms filamentous cells, while the wild-type strain retains the shape of short rods. In addition, a minC mutant regains the short rods when complemented with an intact minCHp gene. The overexpression of MinCHp in E. coli did not affect the growth and cell morphology. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that MinCHp forms helix-form structures in H. pylori, whereas MinCHp localizes at cell poles and pole of new daughter cell in E. coli. In addition, co-immunoprecipitation showed MinC can interact with MinD but not with FtsZ during mid-exponential stage of H. pylori. Altogether, our results show that MinCHp plays a key role in maintaining proper cell morphology and its function differs from those of MinCEc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Yu Chiou
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hung Luo
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Chih Chang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
- * E-mail: (K-CC); (N-TL)
| | - Nien-Tsung Lin
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
- Department of Microbiology, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
- * E-mail: (K-CC); (N-TL)
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14
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Parti RP, Horbay MA, Liao M, Dillon JAR. Regulation of minD by oxyR in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Res Microbiol 2013; 164:406-15. [PMID: 23434849 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2013.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2012] [Accepted: 02/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In Neisseria gonorrhoeae, cytokinesis involves Escherichia coli homologues of minC, minD and minE which are encoded as part of a min operon. MinD, a 30 kD protein component of the MinC-MinD septum inhibitory complex, together with MinE, mediates cell division site selection. Gonococci mutated in minD display aberrant cytokinesis, abnormal morphology, defective microcolony formation and virulence. minD is 274 bp upstream of oxyR, another min operon gene in N. gonorrhoeae, which encodes a redox-responsive transcriptional regulator implicated in responses to oxidative stress. In this study, we aimed to examine the oxyR-mediated regulation of minD. We observed the cotranscription of oxyR with the minCDE gene cluster. The mutation of oxyR resulted in non-midline formation of the division septum, anomalous DNA segregation, and increased aggregation of bacterial cells. qRT-PCR and Western Blot analysis revealed upregulation of minD in an oxyR mutant as compared to its isogenic wild-type N. gonorrhoeae strain in stationary phase. Furthermore, the exposure to oxidative stress in the form of H2O2 increased MinD expression levels in wild-type N. gonorrhoeae. Using β-galactosidase activity-based promoter assays, we found that oxyR negatively regulates the promoter region (PminD) upstream of minD. Our results demonstrate the involvement of oxyR in cell division and minD expression in N. gonorrhoeae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajinder P Parti
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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15
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Balasubramanian MK, Srinivasan R, Huang Y, Ng KH. Comparing contractile apparatus-driven cytokinesis mechanisms across kingdoms. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2012; 69:942-56. [PMID: 23027576 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Accepted: 09/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cytokinesis is the final stage of the cell cycle during which a cell physically divides into two daughters through the assembly of new membranes (and cell wall in some cases) between the forming daughters. New membrane assembly can either proceed centripetally behind a contractile apparatus, as in the case of prokaryotes, archaea, fungi, and animals or expand centrifugally, as in the case of higher plants. In this article, we compare the mechanisms of cytokinesis in diverse organisms dividing through the use of a contractile apparatus. While an actomyosin ring participates in cytokinesis in almost all centripetally dividing eukaryotes, the majority of bacteria and archaea (except Crenarchaea) divide using a ring composed of the tubulin-related protein FtsZ. Curiously, despite molecular conservation of the division machinery components, division site placement and its cell cycle regulation occur by a variety of unrelated mechanisms even among organisms from the same kingdom. While molecular motors and cytoskeletal polymer dynamics contribute to force generation during eukaryotic cytokinesis, cytoskeletal polymer dynamics alone appears to be sufficient for force generation during prokaryotic cytokinesis. Intriguingly, there are life forms on this planet that appear to lack molecules currently known to participate in cytokinesis and how these cells perform cytokinesis remains a mystery waiting to be unravelled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohan K Balasubramanian
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, Singapore 117604.
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16
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Molecular biomineralization: toward an understanding of the biogenic origin of polymetallic nodules, seamount crusts, and hydrothermal vents. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR AND SUBCELLULAR BIOLOGY 2011; 52:77-110. [PMID: 21877264 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-21230-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Polymetallic nodules and crusts, hydrothermal vents from the Deep Sea are economically interesting, since they contain alloying components, e.g., manganese or cobalt, that are used in the production of special steels; in addition, they contain rare metals applied for plasma screens, for magnets in hard disks, or in hybrid car motors. While hydrothermal vents can regenerate in weeks, polymetallic nodules and seamount crusts grow slowly. Even though the geochemical basis for the growth of the nodules and crusts has been well studied, the contribution of microorganisms to the formation of these minerals remained obscure. Recent HR-SEM (high-resolution scanning electron microscopy) analyses of nodules and crusts support their biogenic origin. Within the nodules, bacteria with surface S-layers are arranged on biofilm-like structures, around which Mn deposition starts. In crusts, coccoliths represent the dominant biologically formed structures that act as bio-seeds for an initial Mn deposition. In contrast, hydrothermal vents have apparently an abiogenic origin; however, their minerals are biogenically transformed by bacteria. In turn, strategies can now be developed for biotechnological enrichment as well as selective dissolution of metals from such concretions. We are convinced that the recent discoveries will considerably contribute to our understanding of the participation of organic matrices in the enrichment of those metals and will provide the basis for feasibility studies for biotechnological applications.
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17
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Parti RP, Biswas D, Wang M, Liao M, Dillon JAR. A minD mutant of enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 has reduced adherence to human epithelial cells. Microb Pathog 2011; 51:378-83. [PMID: 21798335 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2011.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2010] [Revised: 06/29/2011] [Accepted: 07/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Adherence to epithelial cells is a prerequisite for intestinal colonization by the bacterial pathogen, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). The deletion of minD, a cell division gene, in EHEC caused reduced adherence to human epithelioid cervical carcinoma (HeLa) and human colonic adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cells as compared to wild-type. The minD mutant formed minicells and filaments owing to aberrant cytokinesis. Moreover, its ability to form microcolonies as typically seen in the co-cultures of wild-type with Caco-2 cells, was abolished. In conclusion, the present study highlights the importance of minD in regards to EHEC adherence to human epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajinder P Parti
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E3
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18
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Parti RP, Biswas D, Helgeson S, Michael FS, Cox A, Dillon JAR. Attenuated virulence of min operon mutants of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and their interactions with human urethral epithelial cells. Microbes Infect 2011; 13:545-54. [PMID: 21315173 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2011.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2010] [Revised: 01/24/2011] [Accepted: 01/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a sexually-transmitted gram-negative bacterium, causes gonorrhoea in humans. The min genes of N. gonorrhoeae are involved in cell division site selection with oxyR co-transcribed with these genes. The mutation in min genes and oxy R cause aberrant cell morphology and aggregation patterns, respectively. Our objective was to assess the contribution of neisserial min operon cell division genes i.e. minC, minD and oxyR in virulence. Compared to the N. gonorrhoeae parental strain (Ng CH811Str(R)), its isogenic mutants with insertionally inactivated minC (Ng CSRC1), minD (Ng CJSD1) or oxyR (Ng KB1) showed reduced adherence to and invasion of urethral epithelial cells. This may be explained by defective microcolony formation in the mutant strains, possibly owing to abnormal morphology and aggregation. The expression levels of surface virulence factors like Opa, pilin and lipooligosaccharide in the mutants were unchanged relative to Ng CH811Str(R). Furthermore, in urethral epithelial cells, the min and oxyR mutants induced the release of proinflammatory cytokines like IL6 and IL8 to levels similar to that induced by the parental strain. Taken together, our studies indicate that inactivation of minC, minD or oxyR in N. gonorrhoeae attenuates its ability to bind to and invade urethral epithelial cells without altering its potential to induce IL6 and IL8 release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajinder P Parti
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
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Pavlendová N, Muchová K, Barák I. Expression of Escherichia coli Min system in Bacillus subtilis and its effect on cell division. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2009; 302:58-68. [PMID: 19903201 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2009.01832.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In both rod-shaped Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli cells, Min proteins are involved in the regulation of division septa formation. In E. coli, dynamic oscillation of MinCD inhibitory complex and MinE, a topological specificity protein, prevents improper polar septation. However, in B. subtilis no MinE is present and no oscillation of Min proteins can be observed. The function of MinE is substituted by that of an unrelated DivIVA protein, which targets MinCD to division sites and retains them at the cell poles. We inspected cell division when the E. coli Min system was introduced into B. subtilis cells. Expression of these heterologous Min proteins resulted in cell elongation. We demonstrate here that E. coli MinD can partially substitute for the function of its B. subtilis protein counterpart. Moreover, E. coli MinD was observed to have similar helical localization as B. subtilis MinD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nad'a Pavlendová
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Science, Bratislava, Slovakia
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20
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Sriyab S, Yojina J, Ngamsaad W, Kanthang P, Modchang C, Nuttavut N, Lenbury Y, Krittanai C, Triampo W. Mesoscale modeling technique for studying the dynamics oscillation of Min protein: Pattern formation analysis with lattice Boltzmann method. Comput Biol Med 2009; 39:412-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2009.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2008] [Revised: 01/08/2009] [Accepted: 02/11/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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21
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Contribution of biomineralization during growth of polymetallic nodules and ferromanganese crusts from the Pacific Ocean. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s11706-009-0033-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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22
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Gregory JA, Becker EC, Pogliano K. Bacillus subtilis MinC destabilizes FtsZ-rings at new cell poles and contributes to the timing of cell division. Genes Dev 2009; 22:3475-88. [PMID: 19141479 DOI: 10.1101/gad.1732408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Division site selection in rod-shaped bacteria depends on nucleoid occlusion, which prevents division over the chromosome and MinCD, which prevent division at the poles. MinD is thought to localize MinC to the cell poles where it prevents FtsZ assembly. Time-lapse microscopy demonstrates that in Bacillus subtilis transient polar FtsZ rings assemble adjacent to recently completed septa and that in minCD strains these persist and are used for division, producing a minicell. This suggests that MinC acts when division proteins are released from newly completed septa to prevent their immediate reassembly at new cell poles. The minCD mutant appears to uncouple FtsZ ring assembly from cell division and thus shows a variable interdivisional time and a rapid loss of cell cycle synchrony. Functional MinC-GFP expressed from the chromosome minCD locus is dynamic. It is recruited to active division sites before septal biogenesis, rotates around the septum, and moves away from completed septa. Thus high concentrations of MinC are found primarily at the septum and, more transiently, at the new cell pole. DivIVA and MinD recruit MinC to division sites, rather than mediating the stable polar localization previously thought to restrict MinC activity to the pole. Together, our results suggest that B. subtilis MinC does not inhibit FtsZ assembly at the cell poles, but rather prevents polar FtsZ rings adjacent to new cell poles from supporting cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Gregory
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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23
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Wang X, Schlossmacher U, Wiens M, Schröder HC, Müller WEG. Biogenic origin of polymetallic nodules from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Eastern Pacific Ocean: electron microscopic and EDX evidence. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2009; 11:99-108. [PMID: 18670811 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-008-9124-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2008] [Accepted: 06/10/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Polymetallic/ferromanganese nodules (Mn-nodules) have been assigned a huge economic potential since they contain considerable concentrations of manganese, copper, nickel, iron, and cobalt. It has been assumed that they are formed by, besides hydrogenous, nonbiogenic processes, biogenic processes based on metabolic processes driven by microorganisms. In the present study, we applied the techniques of digital optical microscopy and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy to search for microorganisms in Mn-nodules. They were collected from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and are composed of Mn (23.9%), Cu (0.69%), Ni (1.02%), Fe (10.9%), and Co (0.29%). These Mn-nodules, between 2.3 and 4.8 cm, show a distinct lamination; they are composed of small-sized micronodules, 100 to 450 microm in size, which are bound together by an interstitial whitish material. In the micronodules, a dense accumulation of microorganisms/bacteria could be visualized. Only two morphotypes exist: (1) round-shaped cocci and (2) elongated rods. The cocci (diameter: approximately 3.5 microm) are arranged in bead-like chains, while the rods (approximately 2 x 0.4 microm) are arranged either as palisades or in a linear row. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses showed that the areas rich in microorganisms/bacteria are also rich in Mn, while in regions where no microorganisms are found, the element Si is dominant. We suggest that growth of the Mn-nodules starts with the formation of "micronodules." The formation of micronodules is assumed to be mediated by microorganisms. After accretion of biogenic and additional nonbiogenic minerals, the micronodules assemble to large nodules on the sea floor through additional inclusion of nonbiogenic material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohong Wang
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Education, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China.
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24
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Nguyen THK, Kumagai T, Matoba Y, Suzaki T, Sugiyama M. Molecular cloning and functional analysis of minD gene from streptomyces lavendulae ATCC25233. J Biosci Bioeng 2008; 106:303-5. [DOI: 10.1263/jbb.106.303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2008] [Accepted: 05/29/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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25
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Mazor S, Regev T, Mileykovskaya E, Margolin W, Dowhan W, Fishov I. Mutual effects of MinD-membrane interaction: I. Changes in the membrane properties induced by MinD binding. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2008; 1778:2496-504. [PMID: 18760994 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2008.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2008] [Revised: 08/05/2008] [Accepted: 08/06/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In Escherichia coli and other bacteria, MinD, along with MinE and MinC, rapidly oscillates from one pole of the cell to the other controlling the correct placement of the division septum. MinD binds to the membrane through its amphipathic C-terminal alpha-helix. This binding, promoted by ATP-induced dimerization, may be further enhanced by a consequent attraction of acidic phospholipids and formation of a stable proteolipid domain. In the context of this hypothesis we studied changes in dynamics of a model membrane caused by MinD binding using membrane-embedded fluorescent probes as reporters. A remarkable increase in membrane viscosity and order upon MinD binding to acidic phospholipids was evident from the pyrene and DPH fluorescence changes. This viscosity increase is cooperative with regards to the concentration of MinD-ATP, but not of the ADP form, indicative of dimerization. Moreover, similar changes in the membrane dynamics were demonstrated in the native inverted cytoplasmic membranes of E. coli, with a different depth effect. The mobility of pyrene-labeled phosphatidylglycerol indicated formation of acidic phospholipid-enriched domains in a mixed acidic-zwitterionic membrane at specific MinD/phospholipid ratios. A comparison between MinD from E. coli and Neisseria gonorrhea is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Mazor
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
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26
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The Min system as a general cell geometry detection mechanism: branch lengths in Y-shaped Escherichia coli cells affect Min oscillation patterns and division dynamics. J Bacteriol 2008; 190:2106-17. [PMID: 18178745 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00720-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In Escherichia coli, division site placement is regulated by the dynamic behavior of the MinCDE proteins, which oscillate from pole to pole and confine septation to the centers of normal rod-shaped cells. Some current mathematical models explain these oscillations by considering interactions among the Min proteins without recourse to additional localization signals. So far, such models have been applied only to regularly shaped bacteria, but here we test these models further by employing aberrantly shaped E. coli cells as miniature reactors. The locations of MinCDE proteins fused to derivatives of green fluorescent protein were monitored in branched cells with at least three conspicuous poles. MinCDE most often moved from one branch to another in an invariant order, following a nonreversing clockwise or counterclockwise direction over the time periods observed. In cells with two short branches or nubs, the proteins oscillated symmetrically from one end to the other. The locations of FtsZ rings were consistent with a broad MinC-free zone near the branch junctions, and Min rings exhibited the surprising behavior of moving quickly from one possible position to another. Using a reaction-diffusion model that reproduces the observed MinCD oscillations in rod-shaped and round E. coli, we predict that the oscillation patterns in branched cells are a natural response of Min behavior in cellular geometries having different relative branch lengths. The results provide further evidence that Min protein oscillations act as a general cell geometry detection mechanism that can locate poles even in branched cells.
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27
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Cheng J, Sibley CD, Zaheer R, Finan TM. A Sinorhizobium meliloti minE mutant has an altered morphology and exhibits defects in legume symbiosis. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2007; 153:375-387. [PMID: 17259609 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.2006/001362-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Sinorhizobium meliloti differentiates from rod-shaped, free-living cells into pleomorphic, non-dividing, N(2)-fixing bacteroids within alfalfa root nodules. Here, the role of the minCDE genes in bacteroid differentiation and in free-living cell division is examined. Disruption of the minE gene resulted in large, swollen and branched free-living cells, and in symbiosis a minE mutation resulted in a defect in nitrogen fixation with activity reduced by approximately 70 % compared to the wild-type. It has been demonstrated that the minCDE genes form an operon driven by a promoter located 173 bp upstream of minC. The minCDE genes were expressed in free-living cells and in both the infection zone and the symbiotic zone of alfalfa nodules; however, no changes in the free-living cell morphology, growth or symbiotic N(2) fixation were detected as a result of deletion of these genes. Induced production of individual or combinations of Min proteins in S. meliloti altered its rod-shaped cell morphology. Moreover, cell morphologies resulting from the overexpression of the S. meliloti Min proteins in Escherichia coli suggested similar functions for the E. coli and S. meliloti min genes. These data suggest that there is greater redundancy in the roles of cell division genes in S. meliloti compared with E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiujun Cheng
- Center for Environmental Genomics, Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Christopher D Sibley
- Center for Environmental Genomics, Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Rahat Zaheer
- Center for Environmental Genomics, Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Turlough M Finan
- Center for Environmental Genomics, Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
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28
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Greco-Stewart V, Ramirez-Arcos S, Liao M, Dillon JR. N terminus determinants of MinC from Neisseria gonorrhoeae mediate interaction with FtsZ but do not affect interaction with MinD or homodimerization. Arch Microbiol 2007; 187:451-8. [PMID: 17287984 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-007-0210-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2006] [Revised: 12/01/2006] [Accepted: 01/01/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
While bacterial cell division has been widely studied in rod-shaped bacteria, the mechanism of cell division in round (coccal) bacteria remains largely enigmatic. In the present study, interaction between the cell division inhibitor MinC from Neisseria gonorrhoeae (MinC(Ng)) and the gonococcal cell division proteins MinD(Ng) and FtsZ(Ng) are demonstrated. Protein truncation and site-directed mutagenic approaches determined which N-terminal residues were essential for cell division inhibition by MinC(Ng) using cell morphology as an indicator of protein functionality. Truncation from or mutation at the 13th amino acid of the N terminus of MinC(Ng) resulted in loss of protein function. Bioinformatic analyses predicted that point mutations of L35P and L68P would affect the alpha-helical conformation of the protein and we experimentally showed that these mutations alter the functionality of MinC(Ng). The bacterial two-hybrid system showed that interaction of MinC(Ng) with FtsZ(Ng) is abrogated upon truncation of 13 N-terminal residues while MinC(Ng)-MinD(Ng) interaction or MinC(Ng) homodimerization is unaffected. These data confirm interactions among gonococcal cell division proteins and determine the necessity of the 13th amino acid for MinC(Ng) function.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Greco-Stewart
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1H 8M5
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29
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Vipond C, Suker J, Jones C, Tang C, Feavers IM, Wheeler JX. Proteomic analysis of a meningococcal outer membrane vesicle vaccine prepared from the group B strain NZ98/254. Proteomics 2006; 6:3400-13. [PMID: 16645985 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.200500821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
In the absence of a suitable carbohydrate-based vaccine, outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccines have been used to disrupt outbreaks of serogroup B meningococcal disease for more than 20 years. Proteomic technology provides physical methods with the potential to assess the composition and consistency of these complex vaccines. 2-DE, combined with MS, were used to generate a proteome map of an OMV vaccine, developed to disrupt a long-running outbreak of group B disease in New Zealand. Seventy four spots from the protein map were identified including the outer membrane protein (OMP) antigens: PorA, PorB, RmpM and OpcA. Protein identification indicates that, in addition to OMPs, OMV vaccines contain periplasmic, membrane-associated and cytoplasmic proteins. 2-D-DIGE technology highlighted differences between preclinical development batches of vaccines from two different manufacturers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Vipond
- Department of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Hertfordshire, UK.
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30
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Abstract
Binary fission of many prokaryotes as well as some eukaryotic organelles depends on the FtsZ protein, which self-assembles into a membrane-associated ring structure early in the division process. FtsZ is homologous to tubulin, the building block of the microtubule cytoskeleton in eukaryotes. Recent advances in genomics and cell-imaging techniques have paved the way for the remarkable progress in our understanding of fission in bacteria and organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Margolin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
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31
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Abstract
The site of cell division in bacterial cells is placed with high fidelity at a designated position, usually the midpoint of the cell. In normal cell division in Escherichia coli this is accomplished by the action of the Min proteins, which maintain a high concentration of a septation inhibitor near the ends of the cell, and a low concentration at midcell. This leaves the midcell site as the only available location for formation of the division septum. In other species, such as Bacillus subtilis, this general paradigm is maintained, although some of the proteins differ and the mechanisms used to localize the proteins vary. A second mechanism of negative regulation, the nucleoid-occlusion system, prevents septa forming over nucleoids. This system functions in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and is especially important in cells that lack the Min system or in cells in which nucleoid replication or segregation are defective. Here, we review the latest findings on these two systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence Rothfield
- Department of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, USA.
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32
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Eng NF, Szeto J, Acharya S, Tessier D, Dillon JAR. The C-terminus of MinE from Neisseria gonorrhoeae acts as a topological specificity factor by modulating MinD activity in bacterial cell division. Res Microbiol 2005; 157:333-44. [PMID: 16376524 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2005.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2005] [Revised: 07/27/2005] [Accepted: 09/19/2005] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
MinE regulates the proper placement of the cytokinetic FtsZ ring at midcell by inducing the pole-to-pole movement of MinCD complexes. While the N-terminus of MinE has been implicated in MinD binding, a clear functional role of the C-terminus has not been elucidated. We previously determined that MinE from Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) was functional in Escherichia coli (Ec). Thus, using E. coli as a model organism, gonococcal MinE (MinE(Ng)) function was examined by generating amino acid substitutions of highly conserved MinE(Ng) residues and by testing the ability of the mutant proteins to interact with gonococcal MinD (MinD(Ng)), to induce a minicell phenotype upon overexpression, to initiate MinD(Ng) oscillation, and to stimulate MinD(Ng) ATPase activity. N-terminal MinE(Ng) mutants were unable to bind to MinD(Ng); thus, they did not induce a minicell phenotype, promote MinD(Ng) oscillation or stimulate MinD(Ng) ATPase activity. While C-terminal MinE(Ng) mutants exhibited reduced abilities to bind to MinD(Ng), we show that differences in MinD(Ng) binding to the C-terminus of MinE(Ng) alter the ability of MinE(Ng) to properly stimulate MinD(Ng) activity. We present four major findings from our studies of MinE(Ng): both the N- and C-termini of MinE(Ng) interact with MinD(Ng); interaction between MinD(Ng) and MinE(Ng) is required for the recruitment of MinD(Ng) to the coiled array; oscillation of MinD(Ng) does not require ATPase stimulation; and, the extent of MinD(Ng) ATPase stimulation depends on the binding strength between MinD(Ng) and the C-terminus of MinE(Ng.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson F Eng
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8M5, Canada
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Ramirez-Arcos S, Liao M, Marthaler S, Rigden M, Dillon JAR. Enterococcus faecalis divIVA: an essential gene involved in cell division, cell growth and chromosome segregation. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2005; 151:1381-1393. [PMID: 15870448 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.27718-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Enterococcus faecalis divIVA (divIVAEf) is an essential gene implicated in cell division and chromosome segregation. This gene was disrupted by insertional inactivation creating E. faecalis JHSR1, which was viable only when a wild-type copy of divIVAEf was expressed in trans, confirming the essentiality of the gene. The absence of DivIVAEf in E. faecalis JHSR1 inhibited proper cell division, which resulted in abnormal cell clusters possessing enlarged cells of altered shape instead of the characteristic diplococcal morphology of enterococci. The lower viability of the divIVAEf mutant is caused by improper nucleoid segregation and impaired septation within the numerous cells generated in each cluster. Overexpression of DivIVAEf in Escherichia coli KJB24 resulted in enlarged cells with disrupted cell division, suggesting that this round E. coli mutant strain could be used as an indicator for functionality of DivIVAEf. A Bacillus subtilis divIVA mutant was not complemented by DivIVAEf, indicating that this protein does not recognize DivIVA-specific target sites in B. subtilis, or that it does not interact with other proteins of the cell division machinery of this micro-organism. DivIVAEf also failed to complement a Streptococcus pneumoniae divIVA mutant, supporting the phylogenetic distance between Enterococcus and Streptococcus. Our results indicate that DivIVA is a species-specific multifunctional protein implicated in cell division and chromosome segregation in E. faecalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Ramirez-Arcos
- Centre for Research in Biopharmaceuticals and Biotechnology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1H 8M5
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1H 8M5
| | - Mingmin Liao
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1H 8M5
| | - Susan Marthaler
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1H 8M5
| | - Marc Rigden
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1H 8M5
| | - Jo-Anne R Dillon
- Centre for Research in Biopharmaceuticals and Biotechnology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1H 8M5
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1H 8M5
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Szeto J, Eng NF, Acharya S, Rigden MD, Dillon JAR. A conserved polar region in the cell division site determinant MinD is required for responding to MinE-induced oscillation but not for localization within coiled arrays. Res Microbiol 2005; 156:17-29. [PMID: 15636744 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2004.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2004] [Accepted: 07/20/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
A region in the cell division site determinant MinD required for stimulation by MinE and which determines MinD topological specificity along coil-like structures has been identified. Structural modeling of dimeric MinD and sequence alignment of 24 MinD proteins revealed a conserved polar region in Gram-negative bacterial MinD proteins, corresponding to residues 92-94 of Neisseria gonorrhoeae MinD (MinD(Ng)). Using MinD(Ng) as a paradigm for MinD functionality in Gram-negative organisms, mutation of these conserved residues did not abrogate MinD(Ng) self-association, nor its interaction with MinE(Ng) and the cell division inhibitor MinC. Although the MinD(Ng) mutant dimerized in the presence of ATP, its ATPase activity was not stimulated by MinE(Ng), unlike wild-type MinD(Ng). GFP fusions to either MinD(Ng) or to Escherichia coli MinD bearing simultaneous or individual mutations to residues 92-94 localized within coiled arrays along the E. coli inner cell periphery, similar to wild-type GFP-MinD. However, unlike wild-type GFP-fusions, the mutant proteins were distributed uniformly throughout the array, despite the presence of MinE, which normally imparts topological specificity to MinD by inducing the latter to oscillate from pole-to-pole and away from midcell. Hence, despite localizing along the inner cell periphery as a polymeric structure, the mutant MinD proteins in this study have lost the ability to be efficiently stimulated by MinE(Ng), resulting in a loss of distinct pole-to-pole oscillation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Szeto
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8M5, Canada
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35
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Abstract
In rod-shaped Escherichia coli cells, the Min proteins, which are involved in division-site selection, oscillate from pole-to-pole. The homologs of the Min proteins from the round bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae also form a spatial oscillator when expressed in wild-type and round, rodA- mutants of E. coli, suggesting that the Min proteins form an oscillator in N. gonorrhoeae. Here we report that a numerical model for Min-protein oscillations in rod-shaped cells also produces oscillations in round cells (cocci). Our numerical results explain why the MinE-protein rings found in wild-type E. coli are absent in round mutants. In addition, we find that for round cells there is a minimum radius below which oscillations do not occur, and a maximum radius above which oscillations become mislocalized. Finally, we demonstrate that Min-protein oscillations can select the long axis in nearly round cells based solely on geometry, a potentially important factor in division-plane selection in cocci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerwyn Casey Huang
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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36
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Szeto J, Acharya S, Eng NF, Dillon JAR. The N terminus of MinD contains determinants which affect its dynamic localization and enzymatic activity. J Bacteriol 2004; 186:7175-85. [PMID: 15489428 PMCID: PMC523183 DOI: 10.1128/jb.186.21.7175-7185.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
MinD is involved in regulating the proper placement of the cytokinetic machinery in some bacteria, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Escherichia coli. Stimulation of the ATPase activity of MinD by MinE has been proposed to induce dynamic, pole-to-pole oscillations of MinD in E. coli. Here, we investigated the effects of deleting or mutating conserved residues within the N terminus of N. gonorrhoeae MinD (MinD(Ng)) on protein dynamism, localization, and interactions with MinD(Ng) and with MinE(Ng). Deletions or mutations were generated in the first five residues of MinD(Ng), and mutant proteins were evaluated by several functional assays. Truncation or mutation of N-terminal residues disrupted MinD(Ng) interactions with itself and with MinE. Although the majority of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-MinD(Ng) mutants could still oscillate from pole to pole in E. coli, the GFP-MinD(Ng) oscillation cycles were significantly faster and were accompanied by increased cytoplasmic localization. Interestingly, in vitro ATPase assays indicated that MinD(Ng) proteins lacking the first three residues or with an I5E substitution possessed higher MinE(Ng)-independent ATPase activities than the wild-type protein. These results indicate that determinants found within the extreme N terminus of MinD(Ng) are implicated in regulating the enzymatic activity and dynamic localization of the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Szeto
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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37
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Ramirez-Arcos S, Greco V, Douglas H, Tessier D, Fan D, Szeto J, Wang J, Dillon JR. Conserved glycines in the C terminus of MinC proteins are implicated in their functionality as cell division inhibitors. J Bacteriol 2004; 186:2841-55. [PMID: 15090526 PMCID: PMC387809 DOI: 10.1128/jb.186.9.2841-2855.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alignment of 36 MinC sequences revealed four completely conserved C-terminal glycines. As MinC inhibits cytokinesis in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Escherichia coli, the functional importance of these glycines in N. gonorrhoeae MinC (MinC(Ng)) and E. coli MinC (MinC(Ec)) was investigated through amino acid substitution by using site-directed mutagenesis. Each mutant was evaluated for its ability to arrest cell division and to interact with itself and MinD. In contrast to overexpression of wild-type MinC, overexpression of mutant proteins in E. coli did not induce filamentation, indicating that they lost functionality. Yeast two-hybrid studies showed that MinC(Ec) interacts with itself and MinD(Ec); however, no interactions involving MinC(Ng) were detected. Therefore, a recombinant MinC protein, with the N terminus of MinC(Ec) and the C terminus of MinC(Ng), was designed to test for a MinC(Ng)-MinD(Ng) interaction. Each MinC mutant interacted with either MinC or MinD but not both, indicating the specificity of glycine residues for particular protein-protein interactions. Each glycine was mapped on the C-terminal surfaces (A, B, and C) of the solved Thermotoga maritima MinC structure. We found that MinC(Ec) G161, residing in close proximity to the A surface, is involved in homodimerization, which is essential for MinC function. Glycines corresponding to MinC(Ec) G135, G154, and G171, located within or adjacent to the B-C surface junction, are critical for MinC-MinD interactions. Circular dichroism revealed no gross structural perturbations of the mutant proteins, although the contribution of glycines to protein flexibility and stability cannot be discounted. Using molecular modeling, we propose that exposed conserved MinC glycines interact with exposed residues of the alpha-7 helix of MinD.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ramirez-Arcos
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5
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Zhou H, Lutkenhaus J. The switch I and II regions of MinD are required for binding and activating MinC. J Bacteriol 2004; 186:1546-55. [PMID: 14973039 PMCID: PMC344430 DOI: 10.1128/jb.186.5.1546-1555.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
MinD and MinC cooperate to form an efficient inhibitor of Z-ring formation that is spatially regulated by MinE. MinD activates MinC by recruiting it to the membrane and targeting it to a septal component. To better understand this activation, we have isolated loss-of-function mutations in minD and carried out site-directed mutagenesis. Many of these mutations block MinC-MinD interaction; however, they also prevent MinD self-interaction and membrane binding, suggesting that they affect nucleotide interaction or protein folding. Two mutations in the switch I region (MinD box) and one mutation in the switch II region had little affect on most MinD functions, such as MinD self-interaction, membrane binding, and MinE stimulation; however, they did eliminate MinD-MinC interaction. Two additional mutations in the switch II region did not affect MinC binding. Further study revealed that one of these allowed the MinCD complex to target to the septum but was still deficient in blocking division. These results indicate that the switch I and II regions of MinD are required for interaction with MinC but not MinE and that the switch II region has a role in activating MinC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaijin Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas 66160, USA
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39
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Szeto TH, Rowland SL, Habrukowich CL, King GF. The MinD membrane targeting sequence is a transplantable lipid-binding helix. J Biol Chem 2003; 278:40050-6. [PMID: 12882967 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m306876200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
MinD is a ubiquitous ATPase that plays a crucial role in selection of the division site in eubacteria, chloroplasts, and probably also Archaea. It was recently demonstrated that membrane localization of MinD is mediated by an 8-12-residue C-terminal motif termed the membrane targeting sequence or MTS. In this study we show that the MinD MTS is a transplantable lipid-binding motif that can effectively target heterologous proteins to the cell membrane. We demonstrate that eubacterial MTSs interact directly with lipid bilayers as an amphipathic helix, with a distinct preference for anionic phospholipids. Moreover, we provide evidence that the phospholipid preference of each MTS, as well as its affinity for biological membranes, has been evolutionarily "tuned" to its specific role in different bacteria. We propose a model to describe how the MTS is coupled to ATP binding to regulate the reversible membrane association of Escherichia coli MinD during its pole-to-pole oscillation cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim H Szeto
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, USA
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40
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Du Y, Arvidson CG. Identification of ZipA, a signal recognition particle-dependent protein from Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Bacteriol 2003; 185:2122-30. [PMID: 12644481 PMCID: PMC151515 DOI: 10.1128/jb.185.7.2122-2130.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A genetic screen designed to identify proteins that utilize the signal recognition particle (SRP) for targeting in Escherichia coli was used to screen a Neisseria gonorrhoeae plasmid library. Six plasmids were identified in this screen, and each is predicted to encode one or more putative cytoplasmic membrane (CM) proteins. One of these, pSLO7, has three open reading frames (ORFs), two of which have no similarity to known proteins in GenBank other than sequences from the closely related N. meningitidis. Further analyses showed that one of these, SLO7ORF3, encodes a protein that is dependent on the SRP for localization. This gene also appears to be essential in N. gonorrhoeae since it was not possible to generate null mutations in the gene. Although appearing unique to Neisseria at the DNA sequence level, SLO7ORF3 was found to share some features with the cell division gene zipA of E. coli. These features included similar chromosomal locations (with respect to linked genes) as well as similarities in the predicted protein domain structures. Here, we show that SLO7ORF3 can complement an E. coli conditional zipA mutant and therefore encodes a functional ZipA homolog in N. gonorrhoeae. This observation is significant in that it is the first ZipA homolog identified in a non-rod-shaped organism. Also interesting is that this is the fourth cell division protein (the others are FtsE, FtsX, and FtsQ) shown to utilize the SRP for localization, which may in part explain why the genes encoding the three SRP components are essential in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Du
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1101, USA
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41
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Kroos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA.
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42
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Lackner LL, Raskin DM, de Boer PAJ. ATP-dependent interactions between Escherichia coli Min proteins and the phospholipid membrane in vitro. J Bacteriol 2003; 185:735-49. [PMID: 12533449 PMCID: PMC142821 DOI: 10.1128/jb.185.3.735-749.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Proper placement of the division apparatus in Escherichia coli requires pole-to-pole oscillation of the MinC division inhibitor. MinC dynamics involves a membrane association-dissociation cycle that is driven by the activities of the MinD ATPase and the MinE topological specificity factor, which themselves undergo coupled oscillatory localization cycles. To understand the biochemical mechanisms underlying Min protein dynamics, we studied the interactions of purified Min proteins with phospholipid vesicles and the role of ATP in these interactions. We show that (i) the ATP-bound form of MinD (MinD.ATP) readily associates with phospholipid vesicles in the presence of Mg(2+), whereas the ADP-bound form (MinD.ADP) does not; (ii) MinD.ATP binds membrane in a self-enhancing fashion; (iii) both MinC and MinE can be recruited to MinD.ATP-decorated vesicles; (iv) MinE stimulates dissociation of MinD.ATP from the membrane in a process requiring hydrolysis of the nucleotide; and (v) MinE stimulates dissociation of MinC from MinD.ATP-membrane complexes, even when ATP hydrolysis is blocked. The results support and extend recent work by Z. Hu et al. (Z. Hu, E. P. Gogol, and J. Lutkenhaus, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:6761-6766, 2002) and support models of protein oscillation wherein MinE induces Min protein dynamics by stimulating the conversion of the membrane-bound form of MinD (MinD.ATP) to the cytoplasmic form (MinD.ADP). The results also indicate that MinE-stimulated dissociation of MinC from the MinC-MinD.ATP-membrane complex can, and may, occur prior to hydrolysis of the nucleotide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L. Lackner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4960
| | - David M. Raskin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4960
| | - Piet A. J. de Boer
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4960
- Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106-4960. Phone: (216) 368-1697. Fax: (216) 368-3055. E-mail:
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43
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Hu Z, Saez C, Lutkenhaus J. Recruitment of MinC, an inhibitor of Z-ring formation, to the membrane in Escherichia coli: role of MinD and MinE. J Bacteriol 2003; 185:196-203. [PMID: 12486056 PMCID: PMC141945 DOI: 10.1128/jb.185.1.196-203.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In Escherichia coli, the min system prevents division away from midcell through topological regulation of MinC, an inhibitor of Z-ring formation. The topological regulation involves oscillation of MinC between the poles of the cell under the direction of the MinDE oscillator. Since the mechanism of MinC involvement in the oscillation is unknown, we investigated the interaction of MinC with the other Min proteins. We observed that MinD dimerized in the presence of ATP and interacted with MinC. In the presence of a phospholipid bilayer, MinD bound to the bilayer and recruited MinC in an ATP-dependent manner. Addition of MinE to the MinCD-bilayer complex resulted in release of both MinC and MinD. The release of MinC did not require ATP hydrolysis, indicating that MinE could displace MinC from the MinD-bilayer complex. In contrast, MinC was unable to displace MinE bound to the MinD-bilayer complex. These results suggest that MinE induces a conformational change in MinD bound to the bilayer that results in the release of MinC. Also, it is argued that binding of MinD to the membrane activates MinC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zonglin Hu
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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44
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Abstract
Growth of the bacterial cell involves proteins that assemble into dynamic localized structures that are required for cellular morphogenesis and division. During the past year, the continued application of fluorescence microscopy has led to the discovery of novel actin-like filaments involved in cell shape and plasmid DNA segregation, and to new insights into the regulation and dynamics of the Z-ring. Studies on the Min proteins, which rapidly oscillate between the cell poles to spatially regulate Z-ring assembly, has led to a biochemical basis for the oscillation and a suggestion that MinD assembles into dynamic filaments. These studies further demonstrate that the eukaryotic cytoskeleton had its origins in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Lutkenhaus
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
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45
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Szeto TH, Rowland SL, Rothfield LI, King GF. Membrane localization of MinD is mediated by a C-terminal motif that is conserved across eubacteria, archaea, and chloroplasts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002; 99:15693-8. [PMID: 12424340 PMCID: PMC137778 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.232590599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2002] [Accepted: 09/30/2002] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
MinD is a widely conserved ATPase that has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in selection of the division site in eubacteria and chloroplasts. It is a member of the large ParA superfamily of ATPases that are characterized by a deviant Walker-type ATP-binding motif. MinD localizes to the cytoplasmic face of the inner membrane in Escherichia coli, and its association with the inner membrane is a prerequisite for membrane recruitment of the septation inhibitor MinC. However, the mechanism by which MinD associates with the membrane has proved enigmatic; it seems to lack a transmembrane domain and the amino acid sequence is devoid of hydrophobic tracts that might predispose the protein to interaction with lipids. In this study, we show that the extreme C-terminal region of MinD contains a highly conserved 8- to 12-residue sequence motif that is essential for membrane localization of the protein. We provide evidence that this motif forms an amphipathic helix that most likely mediates a direct interaction between MinD and membrane phospholipids. A model is proposed whereby the membrane-targeting motif mediates the rapid cycles of membrane attachment-release-reattachment that are presumed to occur during pole-to-pole oscillation of MinD in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim H Szeto
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, 06032, USA
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46
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Ramirez-Arcos S, Szeto J, Dillon JAR, Margolin W. Conservation of dynamic localization among MinD and MinE orthologues: oscillation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae proteins in Escherichia coli. Mol Microbiol 2002; 46:493-504. [PMID: 12406224 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2002.03168.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Min proteins are involved in the correct placement of division septa in many bacterial species. In Escherichia coli (Ec) cells, these proteins oscillate from pole to pole, ostensibly to prevent unwanted polar septation. Here, we show that Min proteins from the coccus Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) also oscillate in E. coli. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions to gonococcal MinD and MinE localized dynamically in different E. coli backgrounds. GFP-MinDNg moved from pole to pole in rod-shaped E. coli cells with a 70 +/- 25 s localization cycle when MinENg was expressed in cis. The oscillation time of GFP-MinDNg was reduced when wild-type MinENg was replaced with MinENg carrying a R30D mutation, but lengthened by 15 s when activated by MinEEc. Several mutations in the N-terminal domain of MinDNg, including K16Q and 4- and 19-amino acid truncations, prevented oscillation; these MinDNg mutants showed decreased or lost interaction with themselves and MinENg. Like MinEEc-GFP, MinENg-GFP formed MinE rings and oscillated in E. coli cells when MinDEc was expressed in cis. Finally, in round E. coli cells, GFP-MinDNg appeared to move in a plane parallel to completed septa. This pattern of movement is predicted to be similar in gonococcal cells, which also divide in alternating perpendicular planes.
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47
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Johnson JE, Lackner LL, de Boer PAJ. Targeting of (D)MinC/MinD and (D)MinC/DicB complexes to septal rings in Escherichia coli suggests a multistep mechanism for MinC-mediated destruction of nascent FtsZ rings. J Bacteriol 2002; 184:2951-62. [PMID: 12003935 PMCID: PMC135045 DOI: 10.1128/jb.184.11.2951-2962.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The MinC protein is an important determinant of septal ring positioning in Escherichia coli. The N-terminal domain ((Z)MinC) suppresses septal ring formation by interfering with FtsZ polymerization, whereas the C-terminal domain ((D)MinC) is required for dimerization as well as for interaction with the MinD protein. MinD oscillates between the membrane of both cell halves in a MinE-dependent fashion. MinC oscillates along with MinD such that the time-integrated concentration of (Z)MinC at the membrane is minimal, and hence the stability of FtsZ polymers is maximal, at the cell center. MinC is cytoplasmic and fails to block FtsZ assembly in the absence of MinD, indicating that recruitment of MinC by MinD to the membrane enhances (Z)MinC function. Here, we present evidence that the binding of (D)MinC to MinD endows the MinC/MinD complex with a more specific affinity for a septal ring-associated target in vivo. Thus, MinD does not merely attract MinC to the membrane but also aids MinC in specifically binding to, or in close proximity to, the substrate of its (Z)MinC domain. MinC-mediated division inhibition can also be activated in a MinD-independent fashion by the DicB protein of cryptic prophage Kim. DicB shows little homology to MinD, and how it stimulates MinC function has been unclear. Similar to the results obtained with MinD, we find that DicB interacts directly with (D)MinC, that the (D)MinC/DicB complex has a high affinity for some septal ring target(s), and that MinC/DicB interferes with the assembly and/or integrity of FtsZ rings in vivo. The results suggest a multistep mechanism for the activation of MinC-mediated division inhibition by either MinD or DicB and further expand the number of properties that can be ascribed to the Min proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay E Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4960, USA
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48
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Hu Z, Gogol EP, Lutkenhaus J. Dynamic assembly of MinD on phospholipid vesicles regulated by ATP and MinE. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002; 99:6761-6. [PMID: 11983867 PMCID: PMC124476 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.102059099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 245] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2002] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Selection of the division site in Escherichia coli is regulated by the min system and requires the rapid oscillation of MinD between the two halves of the cell under the control of MinE. In this study we have further investigated the molecular basis for this oscillation by examining the interaction of MinD with phospholipid vesicles. We found that MinD bound to phospholipid vesicles in the presence of ATP and, upon binding, assembled into a well-ordered helical array that deformed the vesicles into tubes. Stimulation of the MinD ATPase by addition of MinE led to disassembly of the tubes and the release of MinD from the vesicles. It is proposed that this MinE-regulated dynamic assembly of MinD underlies MinD oscillation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zonglin Hu
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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49
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Corbin BD, Yu XC, Margolin W. Exploring intracellular space: function of the Min system in round-shaped Escherichia coli. EMBO J 2002; 21:1998-2008. [PMID: 11953319 PMCID: PMC125965 DOI: 10.1093/emboj/21.8.1998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The MinCDE proteins help to select cell division sites in normal cylindrical Escherichia coli by oscillating along the long axis, preventing unwanted polar divisions. To determine how the Min system might function in cells with multiple potential division planes, we investigated its role in a round-cell rodA mutant. Round cells lacking MinCDE were viable, but growth, morphology and positioning of cell division sites were abnormal relative to Min+ cells. In round cells with a long axis, such as those undergoing cell division, green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions to MinD almost always oscillated parallel to the long axis. However, perfect spheres or irregularly shaped cells exhibited MinD movement to and from multiple sites on the cell surface. A MinE-GFP fusion exhibited similar behavior. These results indicate that the Min proteins can potentially localize anywhere in the cell but tend to move a certain maximum distance from their previous assembly site, thus favoring movement along the cell's long axis. A new model for the spatial control of division planes by the Min system in round cells is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - William Margolin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Corresponding author e-mail:
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Revel AT, Talaat AM, Norgard MV. DNA microarray analysis of differential gene expression in Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease spirochete. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002; 99:1562-7. [PMID: 11830671 PMCID: PMC122230 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.032667699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 288] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA microarrays were used to survey the adaptive genetic responses of Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) B31, the Lyme disease spirochete, when grown under conditions analogous to those found in unfed ticks (UTs), fed ticks (FTs), or during mammalian host adaptation (Bb in dialysis membrane chambers implanted in rats). Microarrays contained 95.4% of the predicted B31 genes, 150 (8.6%) of which were differentially regulated (changes of > or = 1.8-fold) among the three growth conditions. A substantial proportion (46%) of the differentially regulated genes encoded proteins with predicted export signals (29% from predicted lipoproteins), emphasizing the importance to Bb of modulating its extracellular proteome. For B31 cultivated at the more restrictive UT condition, microarray data provided evidence of a bacterial stringent response and factors that restrict cell division. A large proportion of genes were responsive to the FT growth condition, wherein increased temperature and reduced pH were prominent environmental parameters. A surprising theme, supported by cluster analysis, was that many of the gene expression changes induced during the FT growth condition were transient and largely tempered as B31 adapted to the mammalian host, suggesting that once Bb gains entry and adapts to mammalian tissues, fewer differentially regulated genes are exploited. It therefore would seem that although widely dissimilar, the UT and dialysis membrane chamber growth conditions promote more static patterns of gene expression in Bb. The microarray data thus provide a basis for formulating new testable hypotheses regarding the life cycle of Bb and attaining a more complete understanding of many aspects of Bb's complex parasitic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Revel
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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