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Whole genome re-sequencing to identify suppressor mutations of mutant and foreign Escherichia coli FtsZ.

ABSTRACT: FtsZ is an essential protein for bacterial cell division, where it forms the cytoskeletal scaffold and may generate the constriction force. We have found previously that some mutant and foreign FtsZ that do not complement an ftsZ null can function for cell division in E. coli upon acquisition of a suppressor mutation somewhere in the genome. We have now identified, via whole genome re-sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphisms in 11 different suppressor strains. Most of the mutations are in genes of various metabolic pathways, which may modulate cell division indirectly. Mutations in three genes, ispA, accD and nlpI, may be more directly involved in cell division. In addition to the genomic suppressor mutations, we identified intragenic suppressors of three FtsZ point mutants (R174A, E250K and L272V).

SUBMITTER: Gardner KAJA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5405962 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Whole genome re-sequencing to identify suppressor mutations of mutant and foreign Escherichia coli FtsZ.

Gardner Kiani A J Arkus KAJA Osawa Masaki M Erickson Harold P HP

PloS one 20170426 4

FtsZ is an essential protein for bacterial cell division, where it forms the cytoskeletal scaffold and may generate the constriction force. We have found previously that some mutant and foreign FtsZ that do not complement an ftsZ null can function for cell division in E. coli upon acquisition of a suppressor mutation somewhere in the genome. We have now identified, via whole genome re-sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphisms in 11 different suppressor strains. Most of the mutations are in gen ...[more]

PMID: 28445510

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Project description:When deprived of FtsZ, Escherichia coli cells (VIP205) grown in liquid form long nonseptated filaments due to their inability to assemble an FtsZ ring and their failure to recruit subsequent divisome components. These filaments fail to produce colonies on solid medium, in which synthesis of FtsZ is induced, upon being diluted by a factor greater than 4. However, once the initial FtsZ levels are recovered in liquid culture, they resume division, and their plating efficiency returns to normal. The potential septation sites generated in the FtsZ-deprived filaments are not annihilated, and once sufficient FtsZ is accumulated, they all become active and divide to produce cells of normal length. FtsZ-deprived cells accumulate defects in their physiology, including an abnormally high number of unsegregated nucleoids that may result from the misplacement of FtsK. Their membrane integrity becomes compromised and the amount of membrane proteins, such as FtsK and ZipA, increases. FtsZ-deprived cells also show an altered expression pattern, namely, transcription of several genes responding to DNA damage increases, whereas transcription of some ribosomal or global transcriptional regulators decreases. We propose that the changes caused by the depletion of FtsZ, besides stopping division, weaken the cell, diminishing its resiliency to minor challenges, such as dilution stress.ImportanceOur results suggest a role for FtsZ, in addition to its already known effect in the constriction of E. coli, in protecting the nondividing cells against minor stress. This protection can even be exerted when an inactive FtsZ is produced, but it is lost when the protein is altogether absent. These results have implications in fields like synthetic biology or antimicrobial discovery. The construction of synthetic divisomes in the test tube may need to preserve unsuspected roles, such as this newly found FtsZ property, to guarantee the stability of artificial containers. Whereas the effects on viability caused by inhibiting the activity of FtsZ may be partly overcome by filamentation, the absence of FtsZ is not tolerated by E. coli, an observation that may help in the design of effective antimicrobial compounds.

Project description:BACKGROUND: FtsZ is an essential cell division protein, which localizes at the middle of the bacterial cell to mediate cytokinesis. In vitro, FtsZ polymerizes and induces GTPase activity through longitudinal interactions to form the protofilaments, whilst lateral interactions result within formation of bundles. The interactions that participate in the protofilaments are similar to its eukaryotic homologue tubulin and are well characterized; however, lateral interactions between the inter protofilaments are less defined. FtsZ forms double protofilaments in vitro, though the key elements on the interface of the inter-protofilaments remain unclear as well as the structures involved in the lateral interactions in vivo and in vitro. In this study, we demonstrate that the highly conserved negative charge of glutamate 83 and the positive charge of arginine 85 located in the helix H3 bend of FtsZ are required for in vitro FtsZ lateral and longitudinal interactions, respectively and for in vivo cell division. RESULTS: The effect of mutation on the widely conserved glutamate-83 and arginine-85 residues located in the helix H3 (present in most of the tubulin family) was evaluated by in vitro and in situ experiments. The morphology of the cells expressing Escherichia coli FtsZ (E83Q) mutant at 42°C formed filamented cells while those expressing FtsZ(R85Q) formed shorter filamented cells. In situ immunofluorescence experiments showed that the FtsZ(E83Q) mutant formed rings within the filamented cells whereas those formed by the FtsZ(R85Q) mutant were less defined. The expression of the mutant proteins diminished cell viability as follows: wild type > E83Q > R85Q. In vitro, both, R85Q and E83Q reduced the rate of FtsZ polymerization (WT > E83Q >> R85Q) and GTPase activity (WT > E83Q >> R85Q). R85Q protein polymerized into shorter filaments compared to WT and E83Q, with a GTPase lag period that was inversely proportional to the protein concentration. In the presence of ZipA, R85Q GTPase activity increased two fold, but no bundles were formed suggesting that lateral interactions were affected. CONCLUSIONS: We found that glutamate 83 and arginine 85 located in the bend of helix H3 at the lateral face are required for the protofilament lateral interaction and also affects the inter-protofilament lateral interactions that ultimately play a role in the functional localization of the FtsZ ring at the cell division site.

Dataset Information

Whole genome re-sequencing to identify suppressor mutations of mutant and foreign Escherichia coli FtsZ.

Publications

Whole genome re-sequencing to identify suppressor mutations of mutant and foreign Escherichia coli FtsZ.

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