title: Penicillin-binding protein-related factor A is required for proper chromosome segregation in Bacillus subtilis.
abstract: Previous work has shown that the ponA gene, encoding penicillin-binding protein 1 (PBP1), is in a two-gene operon with prfA (PBP-related factor A) (also called recU), which encodes a putative 206-residue basic protein (pI = 10.1) with no significant sequence homology to proteins with known functions. Inactivation of prfA results in cells that grow slower and vary significantly in length relative to wild-type cells. We now show that prfA mutant cells have a defect in chromosome segregation resulting in the production of approximately 0.9 to 3% anucleate cells in prfA cultures grown at 30 or 37 degrees C in rich medium and that the lack of PrfA exacerbates the chromosome segregation defect in smc and spoOJ mutant cells. In addition, overexpression of prfA was found to be toxic for and cause nucleoid condensation in Escherichia coli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, USA.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Setlow
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C118650:SMC protein, Bacteria; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase