The ABCs of plasmid replication and segregation

RepABC family plasmids are found exclusively in alphaproteobacteria. The replication and partitioning proteins of these plasmids are encoded by a single operon, the repABC cassette. Here, Pinto, Pappas and Winans review the regulation of RepABC plasmid replication and partitioning, including the mec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature reviews. Microbiology 2012-11, Vol.10 (11), p.755-765
Main Authors: Pinto, Uelinton M., Pappas, Katherine M., Winans, Stephen C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
41
631/208/726/2102
631/326/41/2482
631/337/151
Alphaproteobacteria - genetics
Alphaproteobacteria - growth & development
Bacteria
Bacterial Proteins - genetics
Bacterial Proteins - metabolism
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cell cycle
Cell Division
Chromosomes
Cytogenetics
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
DNA Methylation
DNA Replication
DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics
DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism
Genetic aspects
Genomics
Infectious Diseases
Life Sciences
Medical Microbiology
Microbiology
Parasitology
Physiological aspects
Physiology
Plasmids
Plasmids - genetics
Proteins
review-article
Symbiosis
Transcription, Genetic
Virology
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Summary:RepABC family plasmids are found exclusively in alphaproteobacteria. The replication and partitioning proteins of these plasmids are encoded by a single operon, the repABC cassette. Here, Pinto, Pappas and Winans review the regulation of RepABC plasmid replication and partitioning, including the mechanisms that allow plasmid copynumber to be increased in response to external cues. To ensure faithful transmission of low-copy plasmids to daughter cells, these plasmids must replicate once per cell cycle and distribute the replicated DNA to the nascent daughter cells. RepABC family plasmids are found exclusively in alphaproteobacteria and carry a combined replication and partitioning locus, the repABC cassette, which is also found on secondary chromosomes in this group. RepC and a replication origin are essential for plasmid replication, and RepA, RepB and the partitioning sites distribute the replicons to predivisional cells. Here, we review our current understanding of the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of the Rep proteins and of their functions in plasmid replication and partitioning.
ISSN:1740-1526
1740-1534
DOI:10.1038/nrmicro2882