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Colocalization and interaction between elongasome and divisome during a preparative cell division phase in E scherichia coli
Author(s) -
Ploeg René,
Verheul Jolanda,
Vischer Norbert O. E.,
Alexeeva Svetlana,
Hoogendoorn Eelco,
Postma Marten,
Banzhaf Manuel,
Vollmer Waldemar,
Blaauwen Tanneke
Publication year - 2013
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/mmi.12150
Subject(s) - colocalization , biology , escherichia coli , cell division , division (mathematics) , phase (matter) , cell , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , gene , physics , arithmetic , mathematics , quantum mechanics
Summary The rod‐shaped bacterium E scherichia coli grows by insertion of peptidoglycan into the lateral wall during cell elongation and synthesis of new poles during cell division. The monofunctional transpeptidases PBP 2 and PBP 3 are part of specialized protein complexes called elongasome and divisome, respectively, which catalyse peptidoglycan extension and maturation. Endogenous immunolabelled PBP 2 localized in the cylindrical part of the cell as well as transiently at midcell. Using the novel image analysis tool C oli‐ I nspector to analyse protein localization as function of the bacterial cell age, we compared PBP 2 localization with that of other E . coli cell elongation and division proteins including PBP 3. Interestingly, the midcell localization of the two transpeptidases overlaps in time during the early period of divisome maturation. F örsters R esonance E nergy T ransfer ( FRET ) experiments revealed an interaction between PBP 2 and PBP 3 when both are present at midcell. A decrease in the midcell diameter is visible after 40% of the division cycle indicating that the onset of new cell pole synthesis starts much earlier than previously identified by visual inspection. The data support a new model of the division cycle in which the elongasome and divisome interact to prepare for cell division.