FtsK is a bifunctional protein involved in cell division and chromosome localization in Escherichia coli

The behaviour of Escherichia coli cells in which all or part of the ftsK gene is under inducible control shows that FtsK protein has two functional domains: an N-terminal part that is required for cell division, and a C-terminal part that is involved in chromosome localization within the cell.     

Premature targeting of cell division proteins to midcell reveals hierarchies of protein interactions involved in divisome assembly

In order to divide, the bacterium Escherichia coli must assemble a set of at least 10 essential proteins at the nascent division site. These proteins localize to midcell according to a linear hierarchy, suggesting that cell division proteins are added to the nascent divisome in strict sequence. We previously described a method, 'premature targeting', which allows us to target a protein directly to the division site independently of other cell division proteins normally required for its localization at midcell. By systematically applying this method to probe the recruitment of and associations among late cell division proteins, we show that this linear assembly model is likely incorrect. Rather, we find that the assembly of most of the late proteins can occur independently of 'upstream' proteins. Further, most late proteins, when prematurely targeted to midcell, can back-recruit upstream proteins in the reverse of the predicted pathway. Together these observations indicate that the late proteins, with the notable exception of the last protein in the pathway, FtsN, are associated in a hierarchical set of protein complexes. Based on these observations we present a revised model for assembly of the E. coli division apparatus.     

Segregation of partly melted DNA molecules

Segregation of partly melted DNA molecules is a convenient and efficient method to isolate DNA fragments associated with CpG islands. The method stands on the observation that the electrophoretic mobility of partly melted DNA fragments in a denaturing gradient gel is low and that they persist in the gel so long as the remaining helical part is sufficiently resistant to strand dissociation and dissociates slowly. Such features are observed in DNA fragments derived from CpG islands. These DNA fragments are preferentially retained in a denaturing gradient gel after prolonged electric field exposure, permitting the enrichment of DNA fragments derived from CpG islands. The principle and practical application of this method are reviewed.     

Amyloid-beta oligomers increase the localization of prion protein at the cell surface

In Alzheimer's disease, the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) interacts with distinct proteins at the cell surface to interfere with synaptic communication. Recent data have implicated the prion protein (PrP(C)) as a putative receptor for Aβ. We show here that Aβ oligomers signal in cells in a PrP(C)-dependent manner, as might be expected if Aβ oligomers use PrP(C) as a receptor. Immunofluorescence, flow cytometry and cell surface protein biotinylation experiments indicated that treatment with Aβ oligomers, but not monomers, increased the localization of PrP(C) at the cell surface in cell lines. These results were reproduced in hippocampal neuronal cultures by labeling cell surface PrP(C). In order to understand possible mechanisms involved with this effect of Aβ oligomers, we used live cell confocal and total internal reflection microscopy in cell lines. Aβ oligomers inhibited the constitutive endocytosis of PrP(C), but we also found that after Aβ oligomer-treatment PrP(C) formed more clusters at the cell surface, suggesting the possibility of multiple effects of Aβ oligomers. Our experiments show for the first time that Aβ oligomers signal in a PrP(C)-dependent way and that they can affect PrP(C) trafficking, increasing its localization at the cell surface.     

Glutamate-induced assembly of bacterial cell division protein FtsZ

The polymerization of FtsZ is a finely regulated process that plays an essential role in the bacterial cell division process. However, only a few modulators of FtsZ polymerization are known. We identified monosodium glutamate as a potent inducer of FtsZ polymerization. In the presence of GTP, glutamate enhanced the rate and extent of polymerization of FtsZ in a concentration-dependent manner; approximately 90% of the protein was sedimented as polymer in the presence of 1 m glutamate. Electron micrographs of glutamate-induced polymers showed large filamentous structures with extensive bundling. Furthermore, glutamate strongly stabilized the polymers against dilution-induced disassembly, and it decreased the GTPase activity of FtsZ. Calcium induced FtsZ polymerization and bundling of FtsZ polymers; interestingly, although 1 m glutamate produced a larger light-scattering signal than produced by 10 mm calcium, the amount of polymer sedimented in the presence of 1 m glutamate and 10 mm calcium was similar. Thus, the increased light scattering in the presence of glutamate must be due to its ability to induce more extensive bundling of FtsZ polymers than calcium. The data suggest that calcium and glutamate might induce FtsZ polymerization by different mechanisms.     

Deletion analysis of the Drosophila Inscuteable protein reveals domains for cortical localization and asymmetric localization

The Drosophila Inscuteable protein acts as a key regulator of asymmetric cell division during the development of the nervous system [1] [2]. In neuroblasts, Inscuteable localizes into an apical cortical crescent during late interphase and most of mitosis. During mitosis, Inscuteable is required for the correct apical-basal orientation of the mitotic spindle and for the asymmetric segregation of the proteins Numb [3] [4] [5], Prospero [5] [6] [7] and Miranda [8] [9] into the basal daughter cell. When Inscuteable is ectopically expressed in epidermal cells, which normally orient their mitotic spindle parallel to the embryo surface, these cells reorient their mitotic spindle and divide perpendicularly to the surface [1]. Like the Inscuteable protein, the inscuteable RNA is asymmetrically localized [10]. We show here that inscuteable RNA localization is not required for Inscuteable protein localization. We found that a central 364 amino acid domain - the Inscuteable asymmetry domain - was necessary and sufficient for Inscuteable localization and function. Within this domain, a separate 100 amino acid region was required for asymmetric localization along the cortex, whereas a 158 amino acid region directed localization to the cell cortex. The same 158 amino acid fragment could localize asymmetrically when coexpressed with the full-length protein, however, and could bind to Inscuteable in vitro, suggesting that this domain may be involved in the self-association of Inscuteable in vivo.     

The FtsH protein accumulates at the septum of Bacillus subtilis during cell division and sporulation

The ftsH gene encodes an ATP- and Zn(2+)-dependent metalloprotease which is anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane via two transmembrane segments in such a way that the very short amino- and the long carboxy termini are exposed to the cytoplasm. Deletion of the ftsH gene in Bacillus subtilis results in a pleiotropic phenotype such as filamentous growth. This observation prompted us to ask whether ftsH is involved in cell division. A translational fusion was constructed between the complete coding region of ftsH and gfp(+) the latter carrying five point mutations to obtain enhanced fluorescence. We detected that the FtsH protein accumulates in the midcell septum of dividing cells, and during sporulation first in the asymmetrically located septa of sporulating cells and later in the membrane which engulfs the forespore. These observations revealed a new function of FtsH.     

G protein signaling and asymmetric cell division.

Asymmetric cell division depends on the polarization of the dividing cell for the correct alignment of the mitotic spindle and the localization of cytoplasmic determinants. Receptor-independent activation of heterotrimeric G proteins by the Drosophila GoLoco protein Partner of Inscuteable seems to represent a novel mechanism to control these events.     

Cortical localization of the Galpha protein GPA-16 requires RIC-8 function during C. elegans asymmetric cell division

Understanding of the mechanisms governing spindle positioning during asymmetric division remains incomplete. During unequal division of one-cell stage C. elegans embryos, the Galpha proteins GOA-1 and GPA-16 act in a partially redundant manner to generate pulling forces along astral microtubules. Previous work focused primarily on GOA-1, whereas the mechanisms by which GPA-16 participates in this process are not well understood. Here, we report that GPA-16 is present predominantly at the cortex of one-cell stage embryos. Using co-immunoprecipitation and surface plasmon resonance binding assays, we find that GPA-16 associates with RIC-8 and GPR-1/2, two proteins known to be required for pulling force generation. Using spindle severing as an assay for pulling forces, we demonstrate that inactivation of the Gbeta protein GPB-1 renders GPA-16 and GOA-1 entirely redundant. This suggests that the two Galpha proteins can activate the same pathway and that their dual presence is normally needed to counter Gbetagamma. Using nucleotide exchange assays, we establish that whereas GPR-1/2 acts as a guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI) for GPA-16, as it does for GOA-1, RIC-8 does not exhibit guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity towards GPA-16, in contrast to its effect on GOA-1. We establish in addition that RIC-8 is required for cortical localization of GPA-16, whereas it is not required for that of GOA-1. Our analysis demonstrates that this requirement toward GPA-16 is distinct from the known function of RIC-8 in enabling interaction between Galpha proteins and GPR-1/2, thus providing novel insight into the mechanisms of asymmetric spindle positioning.     

A role for FtsA in SPOR‐independent localization of the essential Escherichia coli cell division protein FtsN

FtsN is a bitopic membrane protein and the last essential component to localize to the Escherichia coli cell division machinery, or divisome. The periplasmic SPOR domain of FtsN was previously shown to localize to the divisome in a self‐enhancing manner, relying on the essential activity of FtsN and the peptidoglycan synthesis and degradation activities of FtsI and amidases respectively. Because FtsN has a known role in recruiting amidases and is predicted to stimulate the activity of FtsI, it follows that FtsN initially localizes to division sites in a SPOR‐independent manner. Here, we show that the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains of FtsN (FtsN_Cyto‐TM) facilitated localization of FtsN independently of its SPOR domain but dependent on the early cell division protein FtsA. In addition, SPOR‐independent localization preceded SPOR‐dependent localization, providing a mechanism for the initial localization of FtsN. In support of the role of FtsN_Cyto‐TM in FtsN function, a variant of FtsN lacking the cytoplasmic domain localized to the divisome but failed to complement an ftsN deletion unless it was overproduced. Simultaneous removal of the cytoplasmic and SPOR domains abolished localization and complementation. These data support a model in which FtsA–FtsN interaction recruits FtsN to the divisome, where it can then stimulate the peptidoglycan remodelling activities required for SPOR‐dependent localization.     

Dynamic localization cycle of the cell division regulator MinE in Escherichia coli

The MinC protein directs placement of the division septum to the middle of Escherichia coli cells by blocking assembly of the division apparatus at other sites. MinD and MinE regulate MinC activity by modulating its cellular location in a unique fashion. MinD recruits MinC to the membrane, and MinE induces MinC/MinD to oscillate rapidly between the membrane of opposite cell halves. Using fixed cells, we previously found that a MinE-green fluorescent protein fusion accumulated in an annular structure at or near the midcell, as well as along the membrane on only one side of the ring. Here we show that in living cells, MinE undergoes a rapid localization cycle that appears coupled to MinD oscillation. The results show that MinE is not a fixed marker for septal ring assembly. Rather, they support a model in which MinE stimulates the removal of MinD from the membrane in a wave-like fashion. These waves run from a midcell position towards the poles in an alternating sequence such that the time-averaged concentration of division inhibitor is lowest at midcell.     

Quantitative analysis of protein dynamics during asymmetric cell division

In dividing Drosophila sensory organ precursor (SOP) cells, the fate determinant Numb and its associated adaptor protein Pon localize asymmetrically and segregate into the anterior daughter cell, where Numb influences cell fate by repressing Notch signaling. Asymmetric localization of both proteins requires the protein kinase aPKC and its substrate Lethal (2) giant larvae (Lgl). Because both Numb and Pon localization require actin and myosin, lateral transport along the cell cortex has been proposed as a possible mechanism for their asymmetric distribution. Here, we use quantitative live analysis of GFP-Pon and Numb-GFP fluorescence and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) to characterize the dynamics of Numb and Pon localization during SOP division. We demonstrate that Numb and Pon rapidly exchange between a cytoplasmic pool and the cell cortex and that preferential recruitment from the cytoplasm is responsible for their asymmetric distribution during mitosis. Expression of a constitutively active form of aPKC impairs membrane recruitment of GFP-Pon. This defect can be rescued by coexpression of nonphosphorylatable Lgl, indicating that Lgl is the main target of aPKC. We propose that a high-affinity binding site is asymmetrically distributed by aPKC and Lgl and is responsible for asymmetric localization of cell-fate determinants during mitosis.     

Analysis of multiple compound–protein interactions reveals novel bioactive molecules

The discovery of novel bioactive molecules advances our systems‐level understanding of biological processes and is crucial for innovation in drug development. For this purpose, the emerging field of chemical genomics is currently focused on accumulating large assay data sets describing compound–protein interactions (CPIs). Although new target proteins for known drugs have recently been identified through mining of CPI databases, using these resources to identify novel ligands remains unexplored. Herein, we demonstrate that machine learning of multiple CPIs can not only assess drug polypharmacology but can also efficiently identify novel bioactive scaffold‐hopping compounds. Through a machine‐learning technique that uses multiple CPIs, we have successfully identified novel lead compounds for two pharmaceutically important protein families, G‐protein‐coupled receptors and protein kinases. These novel compounds were not identified by existing computational ligand‐screening methods in comparative studies. The results of this study indicate that data derived from chemical genomics can be highly useful for exploring chemical space, and this systems biology perspective could accelerate drug discovery processes.     

Segregation of galactoside permease, a membrane marker during growth and cell division in Escherichia coli

Summary Incubation of Escherichia coli with chloramphenicol causes metabolic and biosynthetic disturbances, the best known of which is the synthesis of RNA and formation of incomplete ribosomes (chloramphenicol particles). As a result of the unbalanced biosynthesis the bacteria transferred in a growth medium exhibit a prolonged lag of recovery and also a lag before development of and lysis by phage 857 occurs. If lactose is the sole carbon source during incubation with chloramphenicol, the extent of these disturbaces is strongly dependent on the relative amount of -galactoside permease.This effect can serve to demonstrate heterogeneity of permease content in a population and permits to physically separate the fraction rich in permease.If bacteria fully induced for the lactose operon are grown without inducer, the permease is distributed among the progeny and unequal distribution will result in a heterogeneous population. It is shown, that using chloramphenicol treatment in the presence of lactose, followed by thermal induction of phage 857, bacteria previously deinduced during two doubling periods appear heterogeneous, about half the population being poor in permease.The significance of these results in terms of the pattern of growth of membrane is discussed.     

不同温度下酿酒酵母细胞分裂周期蛋白Cdc5在有丝分裂中的分子动力学研究

[目的] 探究不同温度下酿酒酵母细胞分裂周期蛋白Cdc5蛋白在有丝分裂中的分子动力学变化。[方法] 本研究以酿酒酵母（Saccharomyces cerevisiae）为材料,采用活细胞成像的方法,探究Cdc5蛋白在不同温度下在酿酒酵母有丝分裂过程中的精细分子动力学变化;通过测量OD₅₉₅绘制生长曲线图,看其宏观的分裂情况是否与微观下Cdc5蛋白的分子动力学变化一致;利用流式细胞术检测细胞的细胞周期变化的情况。[结果] 在胞质分裂时,Cdc5蛋白从母细胞进入子细胞,并在芽颈处发生聚集。25℃条件下细胞中Cdc5蛋白在芽颈处的聚集时间长,37℃条件下Cdc5蛋白在芽颈处聚集时间短,两者间存在显著差异;但两个温度下,细胞中Cdc5蛋白的表达量没有显著性差异。同时,温度也会影响Cdc5蛋白在降解过程中的动力学行为,包括Cdc5蛋白在母细胞与子细胞中荧光强度峰值出现的次数和时间。生长曲线结果显示,酿酒酵母单一细胞分裂周期的变化影响了其宏观的细胞生长,且酵母分裂速度越快,子细胞长宽比越小;细胞周期结果表明,37℃下Cdc5蛋白的动力学变化与酿酒酵母细胞周期变化一致,酿酒酵母细胞周期从G₀/G₁期进入S期,亦加速了酿酒酵母的分裂。[结论] 本研究首次探究了不同温度下酿酒酵母有丝分裂中Cdc5蛋白的精细分子动力学及对应的酵母的宏观生长情况,结果表明温度会对Cdc5蛋白的动力学产生影响,且其精细分子动力学与酿酒酵母的分裂速度成正相关,该结果为进一步研究其在细胞有丝分裂中的功能提供了前期研究基础。