Polar remodeling and histidine kinase activation, which is essential for Caulobacter cell cycle progression, are dependent on DNA replication initiation.
Caulobacter crescentus initiates a single round of DNA replication during each cell cycle. Following the initiation of DNA replication, the essential CckA histidine kinase is activated by phosphorylation, which (via the ChpT phosphotransferase) enables the phosphorylation and activation of the CtrA global regulator. CtrA approximately P then blocks the reinitiation of replication while regulating the transcription of a large number of cell cycle-controlled genes. It has been shown that DNA replication serves as a checkpoint for flagellar biosynthesis and cell division and that this checkpoint is mediated by the availability of active CtrA. Because CckA approximately P promotes the activation of CtrA, we addressed the question of what controls the temporal activation of CckA. We found that the initiation of DNA replication is a prerequisite for remodeling the new cell pole, which includes the localization of the DivL protein kinase to that pole and, consequently, the localization, autophosphorylation, and activation of CckA at that pole. Thus, CckA activation is dependent on polar remodeling and a DNA replication initiation checkpoint that is tightly integrated with the polar phospho-signaling cascade governing cell cycle progression.
Department of Developmental Biology, Beckman Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
Antonio A
AA
Iniesta
Nathan J
NJ
Hillson
Lucy
L
Shapiro
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D016934:Caulobacter / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D000071677:Histidine Kinase; D009675:Novobiocin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C097706:CtrA protein, Caulobacter; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D009675:Novobiocin; D011494:Protein Kinases; D000071677:Histidine Kinase