title: Replication initiator DnaA binds at the Caulobacter centromere and enables chromosome segregation.
abstract: During cell division, multiple processes are highly coordinated to faithfully generate genetically equivalent daughter cells. In bacteria, the mechanisms that underlie the coordination of chromosome replication and segregation are poorly understood. Here, we report that the conserved replication initiator, DnaA, can mediate chromosome segregation independent of replication initiation. It does so by binding directly to the parS centromere region of the chromosome, and mutations that alter this interaction result in cells that display aberrant centromere translocation and cell division. We propose that DnaA serves to coordinate bacterial DNA replication with the onset of chromosome segregation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Beckman Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305.
authors.forename: Paola E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Mera
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Beckman Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305.
authors.forename: Virginia S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Kalogeraki
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Beckman Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305 shapiro@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shapiro
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016934:Caulobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002503:Centromere / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020090:Chromosome Segregation / Q000502:physiology*; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C066312:DnaA protein, Bacteria
keywords: Caulobacter; DnaA; centromere; chromosome segregation; replication