Open AccessA localized adaptor protein performs distinct functions at the Caulobacter cell poles
Author(s) -
Jiarui Wang,
W. E. Moerner,
Lucy Shapiro
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2024705118
Subject(s) - caulobacter crescentus , flagellum , signal transducing adaptor protein , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , asymmetric cell division , cell division , spindle pole body , cell fate determination , effector , cell , signal transduction , genetics , cell cycle , spindle apparatus , gene , transcription factor
Significance Asymmetric cell division yields two distinct daughter cells by mechanisms that underlie stem cell behavior and cellular diversity in all organisms. The bacteriumCaulobacter crescentus is able to orchestrate this complex process with less than 4,000 genes. This article describes a strategy deployed byCaulobacter where a regulatory protein, PopA, is programed to perform distinct roles based on its subcellular address. We demonstrate that, depending on the availability of a second messenger molecule, PopA adopts either a monomer or dimer form. The two oligomeric forms interact with different partners at the two cell poles, playing a critical role in the degradation of a master transcription factor at one pole and flagellar assembly at the other pole.