ParABS system in chromosome partitioning in the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus

Chromosome segregation is an essential cellular function in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. The ParABS system is a fundamental player for a mitosis-like process in chromosome partitioning in many bacterial species. This work shows that the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus also uses the ParABS s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2014-01, Vol.9 (1), p.e86897-e86897
Main Author: Iniesta, Antonio A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Bacteria
Bacterial proteins
Bacterial Proteins - genetics
Base Sequence
Biology
Cell division
Chromosome Segregation - genetics
Chromosome Segregation - physiology
Chromosomes
Conserved sequence
Defects
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay
Gene expression
Gene sequencing
Genetic Loci - genetics
Genomes
Genomics
Intracellular Space - metabolism
Localization
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Mitosis
Molecular Sequence Data
Multiprotein Complexes - genetics
Multiprotein Complexes - metabolism
Myxococcus xanthus
Myxococcus xanthus - genetics
Partitioning
Plasmids
Plasmids - genetics
Replication
Replication origins
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Summary:Chromosome segregation is an essential cellular function in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. The ParABS system is a fundamental player for a mitosis-like process in chromosome partitioning in many bacterial species. This work shows that the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus also uses the ParABS system for chromosome segregation. Its large prokaryotic genome of 9.1 Mb contains 22 parS sequences near the origin of replication, and it is shown here that M. xanthus ParB binds preferentially to a consensus parS sequence in vitro. ParB and ParA are essential for cell viability in M. xanthus as in Caulobacter crescentus, but unlike in many other bacteria. Absence of ParB results in anucleate cells, chromosome segregation defects and loss of viability. Analysis of ParA subcellular localization shows that it clusters at the poles in all cells, and in some, in the DNA-free cell division plane between two chromosomal DNA masses. This ParA localization pattern depends on ParB but not on FtsZ. ParB inhibits the nonspecific interaction of ParA with DNA, and ParA colocalizes with chromosomal DNA only when ParB is depleted. The subcellular localization of ParB suggests a single ParB-parS complex localized at the edge of the nucleoid, next to a polar ParA cluster, with a second ParB-parS complex migrating after the replication of parS takes place to the opposite nucleoid edge, next to the other polar ParA cluster.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0086897