title: Sequence-directed DNA translocation by purified FtsK.
abstract: DNA translocases are molecular motors that move rapidly along DNA using adenosine triphosphate as the source of energy. We directly observed the movement of purified FtsK, an Escherichia coli translocase, on single DNA molecules. The protein moves at 5 kilobases per second and against forces up to 60 piconewtons, and locally reverses direction without dissociation. On three natural substrates, independent of its initial binding position, FtsK efficiently translocates over long distances to the terminal region of the E. coli chromosome, as it does in vivo. Our results imply that FtsK is a bidirectional motor that changes direction in response to short, asymmetric directing DNA sequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3204, USA.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Pease
authors.forename: Oren
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cost
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gore
authors.forename: Jerod L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ptacin
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sherratt
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bustamante
authors.forename: Nicholas R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Cozzarelli
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D010582:Bacteriophage lambda; D001483:Base Sequence; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004278:DNA, Superhelical; D004279:DNA, Viral; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C096452:FtsK protein, E coli; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins