Towards understanding the molecular basis of bacterial DNA segregation
- 29 March 2005
- journal article
- conference paper
- Published by The Royal Society in Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society B-Biological Sciences
- Vol. 360 (1455) , 523-535
- https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1608
Abstract
Bacteria ensure the fidelity of genetic inheritance by the coordinated control of chromosome segregation and cell division. Here, we review the molecules and mechanisms that govern the correct subcellular positioning and rapid separation of newly replicated chromosomes and plasmids towards the cell poles and, significantly, the emergence of mitotic-like machineries capable of segregating plasmid DNA. We further describe surprising similarities between proteins involved in DNA partitioning (ParA/ParB) and control of cell division (MinD/MinE), suggesting a mechanism for intracellular positioning common to the two processes. Finally, we discuss the role that the bacterial cytoskeleton plays in DNA partitioning and the missing link between prokaryotes and eukaryotes that is bacterial mechano-chemical motor proteins.Keywords
This publication has 135 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Crystal Structure of ZapA and its Modulation of FtsZ PolymerisationJournal of Molecular Biology, 2004
- Dynamics and mechanics of the microtubule plus endNature, 2003
- An Src Homology 3-like Domain Is Responsible for Dimerization of the Repressor Protein KorB Encoded by the Promiscuous IncP Plasmid RP4Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2002
- FtsK Is a DNA Motor Protein that Activates Chromosome Dimer Resolution by Switching the Catalytic State of the XerC and XerD RecombinasesCell, 2002
- Partitioning of plasmid R1. The ParM protein exhibits ATPase activity and interacts with the centromere-like ParR-parC complexJournal of Molecular Biology, 1997
- P1 Plasmid Partition: A Mutational Analysis of ParBJournal of Molecular Biology, 1996
- The centromere‐like parC locus of plasmid R1 Molecular Microbiology, 1996
- Partitioning of plasmid R1 The parA operon is autoregulated by parR and its transcription is highly stimulated by a downstream activating elementJournal of Molecular Biology, 1994
- A Superfamily of ATPases with Diverse Functions Containing Either Classical or Deviant ATP-binding MotifJournal of Molecular Biology, 1993
- Structure and function of the F plasmid genes essential for partitioningJournal of Molecular Biology, 1986