title: Chromosome segregation by the Escherichia coli Min system.
abstract: The mechanisms underlying chromosome segregation in prokaryotes remain a subject of debate and no unifying view has yet emerged. Given that the initial disentanglement of duplicated chromosomes could be achieved by purely entropic forces, even the requirement of an active prokaryotic segregation machinery has been questioned. Using computer simulations, we show that entropic forces alone are not sufficient to achieve and maintain full separation of chromosomes. This is, however, possible by assuming repeated binding of chromosomes along a gradient of membrane-associated tethering sites toward the poles. We propose that, in Escherichia coli, such a gradient of membrane tethering sites may be provided by the oscillatory Min system, otherwise known for its role in selecting the cell division site. Consistent with this hypothesis, we demonstrate that MinD binds to DNA and tethers it to the membrane in an ATP-dependent manner. Taken together, our combined theoretical and experimental results suggest the existence of a novel mechanism of chromosome segregation based on the Min system, further highlighting the importance of active segregation of chromosomes in prokaryotic cell biology.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Ventura
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Knecht
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andreas
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Godinez
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fritsche
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rohr
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nickel
authors.forename: Dieter W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Heermann
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sourjik
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002455:Cell Division; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008958:Models, Molecular; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C072069:MinD protein, E coli
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