FtsZ ring: the eubacterial division apparatus conserved in archaebacteria.
FtsZ is a tubulin-like protein that is essential for cell division in eubacteria. It functions by forming a ring at the division site that directs septation. The archaebacteria constitute a kingdom of life separate from eubacteria and eukaryotes. Like eubacteria, archaebacteria are prokaryotes, although they are phylogenetically closer to eukaryotes. Here it is shown that archaebacteria also possess FtsZ and that it is biochemically similar to eubacterial FtsZs. Significantly, FtsZ from the archaebacterium Haloferax volcanii is a GTPase that is localized to a ring that coincides with the division constriction. These results indicate that the FtsZ ring was part of the division apparatus of a common prokaryotic ancestor that was retained by both eubacteria and archaebacteria.
Wang
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Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160, USA.
Lutkenhaus
J
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001105:Archaea / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006216:Halobacteriaceae / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017014:Methanobacterium / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C071525:FtsZ protein, Bacteria; D014404:Tubulin; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases