Cell Cycle–Dependent Polar Localization of Chromosome Partitioning Proteins in Caulobacter crescentus

• Published in: Cell Vol. 88; no. 5; pp. 675 - 684
• Main Authors: Mohl, Dane A, Gober, James W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 07-03-1997
• Subjects: Bacterial Proteins - analysis; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Base Sequence; caulobacter crescentus; Caulobacter crescentus - chemistry; Caulobacter crescentus - cytology; Caulobacter crescentus - genetics; Cell Cycle - physiology; Chromosomes, Bacterial - physiology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial - physiology; Genes, Bacterial - physiology; Mitosis - physiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Replication Origin - genetics; Repressor Proteins - genetics; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
• ISSN: 0092-8674; 1097-4172
• DOI: 10.1016/S0092-8674(00)81910-8

In the bacterium C. crescentus, the cellular homologs of plasmid partitioning proteins, ParA and ParB, localize to both poles of the predivisional cell following the completion of DNA replication. ParB binds to DNA sequences adjacent to the origin of replication suggesting that this region of the genome is tethered to the poles of the cell at a specific time in the cell cycle. Increasing the cellular levels of ParA and ParB disrupts polar localization and results in defects in both cell division and chromosome partitioning. These results suggest that ParA and ParB are involved in partitioning newly replicated chromosomes to the poles of the predivisional cell and may function as components of a bacterial mitotic apparatus.