title: The bacterial cell cycle checkpoint protein Obg and its role in programmed cell death.
abstract: The phenomenon of programmed cell death (PCD), in which cells initiate their own demise, is not restricted to multicellular organisms. Unicellular organisms, both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, also possess pathways that mediate PCD. We recently identified a PCD mechanism inEscherichia colithat is triggered by a mutant isoform of the essential GTPase ObgE (Obg ofE. coli). Importantly, the PCD pathway mediated by mutant Obg (Obg*) differs fundamentally from other previously described bacterial PCD pathways and thus constitutes a new mode of PCD. ObgE was previously proposed to act as a cell cycle checkpoint protein able to halt cell division. The implication of ObgE in the regulation of PCD further increases the similarity between this protein and eukaryotic cell cycle regulators that are capable of doing both. Moreover, since Obg is conserved in eukaryotes, the elucidation of this cell death mechanism might contribute to the understanding of PCD in higher organisms. Additionally, if Obg*-mediated PCD is conserved among different bacterial species, it will be a prime target for the development of innovative antibacterials that artificially induce this pathway.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Liselot
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dewachter
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science Technologies, Smart Systems and Emerging Technologies Unit, imec, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verstraeten
authors.affiliation: Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. ; Department of Life Science Technologies, Smart Systems and Emerging Technologies Unit, imec, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fauvart
authors.affiliation: Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michiels
keywords: CgtA; Obg; ObgE; apoptosis; programmed cell death