A Dual Role for the FtsK Protein in Escherichia Coli Chromosome Segregation

Overview

Journal EMBO Rep

Specialty Molecular Biology

Date 2002 May 30

PMID 12034757

Citations 31

Authors

Herve Capiaux

Christian Lesterlin

Koryn Perals

Jean Michel Louarn

Francois Cornet

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

FtsK is a multifunctional protein that acts in Escherichia coli cell division and chromosome segregation. Its C-terminal domain is required for XerCD-mediated recombination between dif sites that resolve chromosome dimers formed by recombination between sister chromosomes. We report the construction and analysis of a set of strains carrying different Xer recombination sites in place of dif, some of which recombine in an FtsK-independent manner. The results show that FtsK-independent Xer recombination does not support chromosome dimer resolution. Furthermore, resolution of dimers by the Cre/loxP system also requires FtsK. These findings reveal a second role for FtsK during chromosome dimer resolution in addition to XerCD activation. We propose that FtsK acts to position the dif regions, thus allowing a productive synapse between dif sites.

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