title: Role for the nonessential N terminus of FtsN in divisome assembly.
abstract: FtsN, the last essential protein in the cell division localization hierarchy in Escherichia coli, has several peculiar characteristics, suggesting that it has a unique role in the division process despite the fact that it is conserved in only a subset of bacteria. In addition to suppressing temperature-sensitive mutations in ftsA, ftsK, ftsQ, and ftsI, overexpression of FtsN can compensate for a complete lack of FtsK in the cell. We examined the requirements for this phenomenon. We found that the N-terminal terminal region (cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains) is critical for suppression, while the C-terminal murein-binding domain is dispensable. Our results further suggest that FtsN and FtsK act cooperatively to stabilize the divisome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Goehring
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robichon
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beckwith
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D046928:Peptidoglycan Glycosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C489310:FtsA protein, E coli; C478704:FtsI protein, E coli; C096452:FtsK protein, E coli; C098711:FtsN protein, E coli; C068023:FtsQ protein, E coli; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C078387:ftsL protein, E coli; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D046928:Peptidoglycan Glycosyltransferase