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Crystal structure and site-directed mutational analysis reveals key residues involved in Escherichia coli ZapA function.

ABSTRACT: FtsZ is an essential cell division protein in Escherichia coli, and its localization, filamentation, and bundling at the mid-cell are required for Z-ring stability. Once assembled, the Z-ring recruits a series of proteins that comprise the bacterial divisome. Zaps (FtsZ-associated proteins) stabilize the Z-ring by increasing lateral interactions between individual filaments, bundling FtsZ to provide a scaffold for divisome assembly. The x-ray crystallographic structure of E. coli ZapA was determined, identifying key structural differences from the existing ZapA structure from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, including a charged ?-helix on the globular domains of the ZapA tetramer. Key helix residues in E. coli ZapA were modified using site-directed mutagenesis. These ZapA variants significantly decreased FtsZ bundling in protein sedimentation assays when compared with WT ZapA proteins. Electron micrographs of ZapA-bundled FtsZ filaments showed the modified ZapA variants altered the number of FtsZ filaments per bundle. These in vitro results were corroborated in vivo by expressing the ZapA variants in an E. coli ?zapA strain. In vivo, ZapA variants that altered FtsZ bundling showed an elongated phenotype, indicating improper cell division. Our findings highlight the importance of key ZapA residues that influence the extent of FtsZ bundling and that ultimately affect Z-ring formation in dividing cells.

SUBMITTER: Roach EJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4156065 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Crystal structure and site-directed mutational analysis reveals key residues involved in Escherichia coli ZapA function.

Roach Elyse J EJ Kimber Matthew S MS Khursigara Cezar M CM

The Journal of biological chemistry 20140707 34

FtsZ is an essential cell division protein in Escherichia coli, and its localization, filamentation, and bundling at the mid-cell are required for Z-ring stability. Once assembled, the Z-ring recruits a series of proteins that comprise the bacterial divisome. Zaps (FtsZ-associated proteins) stabilize the Z-ring by increasing lateral interactions between individual filaments, bundling FtsZ to provide a scaffold for divisome assembly. The x-ray crystallographic structure of E. coli ZapA was determ ...[more]

PMID: 25002581

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Project description:UnlabelledBacterial cell division is an essential and highly coordinated process. It requires the polymerization of the tubulin homologue FtsZ to form a dynamic ring (Z-ring) at midcell. Z-ring formation relies on a group of FtsZ-associated proteins (Zap) for stability throughout the process of division. In Escherichia coli, there are currently five Zap proteins (ZapA through ZapE), of which four (ZapA, ZapB, ZapC, and ZapD) are small soluble proteins that act to bind and bundle FtsZ filaments. In particular, ZapD forms a functional dimer and interacts with the C-terminal tail of FtsZ, but little is known about its structure and mechanism of action. Here, we present the crystal structure of Escherichia coli ZapD and show it forms a symmetrical dimer with centrally located α-helices flanked by β-sheet domains. Based on the structure of ZapD and its chemical cross-linking to FtsZ, we targeted nine charged ZapD residues for modification by site-directed mutagenesis. Using in vitro FtsZ sedimentation assays, we show that residues R56, R221, and R225 are important for bundling FtsZ filaments, while transmission electron microscopy revealed that altering these residues results in different FtsZ bundle morphology compared to those of filaments bundled with wild-type ZapD. ZapD residue R116 also showed altered FtsZ bundle morphology but levels of FtsZ bundling similar to that of wild-type ZapD. Together, these results reveal that ZapD residues R116, R221, and R225 likely participate in forming a positively charged binding pocket that is critical for bundling FtsZ filaments.ImportanceZ-ring assembly underpins the formation of the essential cell division complex known as the divisome and is required for recruitment of downstream cell division proteins. ZapD is one of several proteins in E. coli that associates with the Z-ring to promote FtsZ bundling and aids in the overall fitness of the division process. In the present study, we describe the dimeric structure of E. coli ZapD and identify residues that are critical for FtsZ bundling. Together, these results advance our understanding about the formation and dynamics of the Z-ring prior to bacterial cell division.

Project description:The A2a adenosine receptor is a member of the G-protein coupled receptor family, and its activation stimulates cyclic AMP production. To determine the residues which are involved in ligand binding, several residues in transmembrane domains 5-7 were individually replaced with alanine and other amino acids. The binding properties of the resultant mutant receptors were determined in transfected COS-7 cells. To study the expression levels in COS-7 cells, mutant receptors were tagged at their amino terminus with a hemagglutinin epitope, which allowed their immunological detection in the plasma membrane by the monoclonal antibody 12CA5. The functional properties of mutant receptors were determined by measuring stimulation of adenylate cyclase. Specific binding of [3H]CGS 21680 (15 nM) and [3H]XAC (4 nM), an A2a agonist and antagonist, respectively, was absent in the following Ala mutants: F182A, H250A, N253A, I274A, H278A, and S281A, although they were well expressed in the plasma membrane. The hydroxy group of Ser-277 is required for high affinity binding of agonists, but not antagonists. An N181S mutant lost affinity for adenosine agonists substituted at N6 or C-2, but not at C-5'. The mutant receptors I274A, S277A, and H278A showed full stimulation of adenylate cyclase at high concentrations of CGS 21680. The functional agonist potencies at mutant receptors that lacked radioligand binding were > 30-fold less than those at the wild type receptor. His-250 appears to be a required component of a hydrophobic pocket, and H-bonding to this residue is not essential. On the other hand, replacement of His-278 with other aromatic residues was not tolerated in ligand binding. Thus, some of the residues targeted in this study may be involved in the direct interaction with ligands in the human A2a adenosine receptor. A molecular model based on the structure of rhodopsin, in which the 5'-NH in NECA is hydrogen bonded to Ser-277 and His-278, was developed in order to visualize the environment of the ligand binding site.

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Crystal structure and site-directed mutational analysis reveals key residues involved in Escherichia coli ZapA function.

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Crystal structure and site-directed mutational analysis reveals key residues involved in Escherichia coli ZapA function.

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