Chromosome segregation: pushing plasmids apart.
The ParM ATPase from Escherichia coli plasmid R1 assembles into F-actin-like filaments which appear to push replicated copies of the plasmid to opposite ends of the cell, ensuring partitioning into daughter cells. Might bacterial chromosomes use a similar mitotic strategy for segregation?
Stephens
Craig
C
Biology Department, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053, USA. cstephens@scu.edu
D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids