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The asymmetric distribution of the essential histidine kinase PdhS indicates a differentiation event in Brucella abortus
Author(s) -
Hallez Régis,
Mignolet Johann,
Van Mullem Vincent,
Wery Maxime,
Vandenhaute Jean,
Letesson JeanJacques,
JacobsWagner Christine,
De Bolle Xavier
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1038/sj.emboj.7601577
Subject(s) - biology , brucella abortus , histidine kinase , histidine , kinase , event (particle physics) , brucella , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , brucellosis , amino acid , physics , quantum mechanics
Many organisms use polar localization of signalling proteins to control developmental events in response to completion of asymmetric cell division. Asymmetric division was recently reported for Brucella abortus , a class III facultative intracellular pathogen generating two sibling cells of slightly different size. Here we characterize PdhS, a cytoplasmic histidine kinase essential for B. abortus viability and homologous to the asymmetrically distributed PleC and DivJ histidine kinases from Caulobacter crescentus . PdhS is localized at the old pole of the large cell, and after division and growth, the small cell acquires PdhS at its old pole. PdhS may therefore be considered as a differentiation marker as it labels the old pole of the large cell. Moreover, PdhS colocalizes with its paired response regulator DivK. Finally, PdhS is able to localize at one pole in other α‐proteobacteria, suggesting that a polar structure associating PdhS with one pole is conserved in these bacteria. We propose that a differentiation event takes place after the completion of cytokinesis in asymmetrically dividing α‐proteobacteria. Altogether, these data suggest that prokaryotic differentiation may be much more widespread than expected.