Levin P A, Kurtser I G, Grossman A D
Department of Biology, Building 68-530, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 Aug 17;96(17):9642-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.96.17.9642.
During the bacterial cell cycle, the tubulin-like cell-division protein FtsZ polymerizes into a ring structure that establishes the location of the nascent division site. We have identified a regulator of FtsZ ring formation in Bacillus subtilis. This protein, EzrA, modulates the frequency and position of FtsZ ring formation. The loss of ezrA resulted in cells with multiple FtsZ rings located at polar as well as medial sites. Moreover, the critical concentration of FtsZ required for ring formation was lower in ezrA null mutants than in wild-type cells. EzrA was associated with the cell membrane and also colocalized with FtsZ to the nascent septal site. We propose that EzrA interacts either with FtsZ or with one of its binding partners to promote depolymerization.
在细菌细胞周期中,微管蛋白样细胞分裂蛋白FtsZ聚合成一个环结构,该结构确定了新生分裂位点的位置。我们在枯草芽孢杆菌中鉴定出一种FtsZ环形成的调节因子。这种蛋白质EzrA可调节FtsZ环形成的频率和位置。ezrA缺失导致细胞在极性和中间位点有多个FtsZ环。此外,ezrA缺失突变体中环形成所需的FtsZ临界浓度低于野生型细胞。EzrA与细胞膜相关联,并且还与FtsZ共定位于新生的隔膜位点。我们提出EzrA与FtsZ或其结合伙伴之一相互作用以促进解聚。