title: FtsZ degradation in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120.
abstract: In prokaryotes, cell division is normally achieved by binary fission, and the key player FtsZ is considered essential for the complete process. In cyanobacteria, much remains unknown about several aspects of cell division, including the identity and mechanism of the various components involved in the division process. Here, we report results obtained from a search of the players implicated in cell division, directly associating to FtsZ in the filamentous, heterocyst-forming cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. Histidine tag pull-downs were used to address this question. However, the main observation was that FtsZ is a target of proteolysis. Experiments using various cell-free extracts, an unrelated protein, and protein blot analyses further supported the idea that FtsZ is proteolytically cleaved in a specific manner. In addition, we show evidence that both FtsZ termini seem to be equally prone to proteolysis. Taken together, our data suggest the presence of an unknown player in cyanobacterial cell division, opening up the possibility to investigate novel mechanisms to control cell division in Anabaena PCC 7120.
authors.affiliation: Department of Photochemistry and Molecular Science, The Ångström Laboratories, Uppsala University, Box 523, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lopes Pinto
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erasmie
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blikstad
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lindblad
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D017033:Anabaena / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D059748:Proteolysis; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C071525:FtsZ protein, Bacteria; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins