The FtsK family of DNA translocases finds the ends of circles.
A global view of bacterial chromosome choreography during the cell cycle is emerging, highlighting as a next challenge the description of the molecular mechanisms and factors involved. Here, we review one such factor, the FtsK family of DNA translocases. FtsK is a powerful and fast translocase that reads chromosome polarity. It couples segregation of the chromosome with cell division and controls the last steps of segregation in time and space. The second model protein of the family SpoIIIE acts in the transfer of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome during sporulation. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms used by FtsK and SpoIIIE to segregate chromosomes with emphasis on the latest advances and open questions.
Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, CNRS, and Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
Estelle
E
Crozat
Philippe
P
Rousseau
Florian
F
Fournes
François
F
Cornet
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004247:DNA