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YeeV is an Escherichia coli toxin that inhibits cell division by targeting the cytoskeleton proteins, FtsZ and MreB
Author(s) -
Tan Qian,
Awano Naoki,
Inouye Masayori
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07433.x
Subject(s) - mreb , ftsz , biology , cytoskeleton , microbiology and biotechnology , cell division , escherichia coli , gtpase , tubulin , cell , biochemistry , microtubule , gene
Summary Toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems of free‐living bacteria have recently demonstrated that these toxins inhibit cell growth by targeting essential functions of cellular metabolism. Here we show that YeeV toxin inhibits cell division, leads to a change in morphology and lysis of Escherichia coli cells. YeeV interacts with two essential cytoskeleton proteins, FtsZ and MreB. Purified YeeV inhibits both the GTPase activity and the GTP‐dependent polymerization of FtsZ. YeeV also inhibits ATP‐dependent polymerization of MreB. Truncated C‐terminal deletions of YeeV result in elongation of cells, and a deletion of the first 15 amino acids from the N‐terminus of YeeV caused lemon‐shaped cell formation. The YeeV toxin is distinct from other well‐studied toxins: it directs the binding of two cytoskeletal proteins and inhibits FtsZ and MreB simultaneously.