Mukherjee A, Lutkenhaus J
Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66103.
J Bacteriol. 1994 May;176(9):2754-8. doi: 10.1128/jb.176.9.2754-2758.1994.
FtsZ is an essential cell division protein that is localized to the leading edge of the bacterial septum in a cytokinetic ring. It contains the tubulin signature motif and is a GTP binding protein with a GTPase activity. Further comparison of FtsZ with eukaryotic tubulins revealed some additional sequence similarities, perhaps indicating a similar GTP binding site. Examination of FtsZ incubated in vitro by electron microscopy revealed a guanine nucleotide-dependent assembly into protein filaments, supporting the hypothesis that the FtsZ ring is formed through self-assembly. FtsZ3, which is unable to bind GTP, does not polymerize, whereas FtsZ2, which binds GTP but is deficient in GTP hydrolysis, is capable of polymerization.
FtsZ是一种必需的细胞分裂蛋白，定位于细菌隔膜前沿的细胞分裂环中。它含有微管蛋白特征基序，是一种具有GTP酶活性的GTP结合蛋白。FtsZ与真核微管蛋白的进一步比较揭示了一些额外的序列相似性，这可能表明存在类似的GTP结合位点。通过电子显微镜检查体外孵育的FtsZ发现，它会在鸟嘌呤核苷酸的作用下组装成蛋白质细丝，这支持了FtsZ环是通过自我组装形成的假说。无法结合GTP的FtsZ3不会聚合，而能够结合GTP但缺乏GTP水解能力的FtsZ2则能够聚合。
