Abstract
We present evidence for a three-protein inhibitor of polar division that locks in asymmetry after the formation of a polar septum during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Asymmetric division involves the formation of cytokinetic Z-rings near both poles of the developing cell. Next, a septum is formed at one of the two polar Z-rings, thereby generating a small, forespore cell and a mother cell. Gene expression under the control of the mother-cell transcription factor σE is needed to block cytokinesis at the pole distal to the newly formed septum. We report that this block in polar cytokinesis is mediated partly by σE-directed transcription of spoIID, spoIIM and spoIIP, sporulation genes that were known to be involved in the subsequent process of forespore engulfment. We find that a spoIID, spoIIM and spoIIP triple mutant substantially mimicked the bipolar division phenotype of a σE mutant and that cells engineered to produce SpoIID, SpoIIM and SpoIIP prematurely were inhibited in septum formation at both poles. Consistent with the hypothesis that SpoIID, SpoIIM and SpoIIP function at both poles of the sporangium, a GFP-SpoIIM fusion localized to the membrane that surrounds the engulfed forespore and to the potential division site at the distal pole.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1147-1162 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Molecular Microbiology |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2001 |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Biology
- Microbiology
Cite this
A three-protein inhibitor of polar septation during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. / Eichenberger, Patrick; Fawcett, Paul; Losick, Richard.
In: Molecular Microbiology, Vol. 42, No. 5, 2001, p. 1147-1162.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A three-protein inhibitor of polar septation during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis
AU - Eichenberger, Patrick
AU - Fawcett, Paul
AU - Losick, Richard
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - We present evidence for a three-protein inhibitor of polar division that locks in asymmetry after the formation of a polar septum during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Asymmetric division involves the formation of cytokinetic Z-rings near both poles of the developing cell. Next, a septum is formed at one of the two polar Z-rings, thereby generating a small, forespore cell and a mother cell. Gene expression under the control of the mother-cell transcription factor σE is needed to block cytokinesis at the pole distal to the newly formed septum. We report that this block in polar cytokinesis is mediated partly by σE-directed transcription of spoIID, spoIIM and spoIIP, sporulation genes that were known to be involved in the subsequent process of forespore engulfment. We find that a spoIID, spoIIM and spoIIP triple mutant substantially mimicked the bipolar division phenotype of a σE mutant and that cells engineered to produce SpoIID, SpoIIM and SpoIIP prematurely were inhibited in septum formation at both poles. Consistent with the hypothesis that SpoIID, SpoIIM and SpoIIP function at both poles of the sporangium, a GFP-SpoIIM fusion localized to the membrane that surrounds the engulfed forespore and to the potential division site at the distal pole.
AB - We present evidence for a three-protein inhibitor of polar division that locks in asymmetry after the formation of a polar septum during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Asymmetric division involves the formation of cytokinetic Z-rings near both poles of the developing cell. Next, a septum is formed at one of the two polar Z-rings, thereby generating a small, forespore cell and a mother cell. Gene expression under the control of the mother-cell transcription factor σE is needed to block cytokinesis at the pole distal to the newly formed septum. We report that this block in polar cytokinesis is mediated partly by σE-directed transcription of spoIID, spoIIM and spoIIP, sporulation genes that were known to be involved in the subsequent process of forespore engulfment. We find that a spoIID, spoIIM and spoIIP triple mutant substantially mimicked the bipolar division phenotype of a σE mutant and that cells engineered to produce SpoIID, SpoIIM and SpoIIP prematurely were inhibited in septum formation at both poles. Consistent with the hypothesis that SpoIID, SpoIIM and SpoIIP function at both poles of the sporangium, a GFP-SpoIIM fusion localized to the membrane that surrounds the engulfed forespore and to the potential division site at the distal pole.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035725455&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0035725455&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2001.02660.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2001.02660.x
M3 - Article
VL - 42
SP - 1147
EP - 1162
JO - Molecular Microbiology
JF - Molecular Microbiology
SN - 0950-382X
IS - 5
ER -