1jce

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Revision as of 21:19, 24 November 2007

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spinqualitylabelsall models 1jce, resolution 2.1Å Show:Asymmetric Unit Biological Assembly Drag the structure with the mouse to rotate   Export Animated Image

MREB FROM THERMOTOGA MARITIMA

Overview

It was thought until recently that bacteria lack the actin or tubulin, filament networks that organize eukaryotic cytoplasm. However, we show, here that the bacterial MreB protein assembles into filaments with a, subunit repeat similar to that of F-actin-the physiological polymer of, eukaryotic actin. By elucidating the MreB crystal structure we demonstrate, that MreB and actin are very similar in three dimensions. Moreover, the, crystals contain protofilaments, allowing visualization of actin-like, strands at atomic resolution. The structure of the MreB protofilament is, in remarkably good agreement with the model for F-actin, showing that the, proteins assemble in identical orientations. The actin-like properties of, MreB explain the finding that MreB forms large fibrous spirals under the, cell membrane of rod-shaped cells, where they are involved in cell-shape, determination. Thus, prokaryotes are now known to possess homologues both, of tubulin, namely FtsZ, and of actin.

About this Structure

1JCE is a Single protein structure of sequence from Thermotoga maritima. Full crystallographic information is available from OCA.

Reference

Prokaryotic origin of the actin cytoskeleton., van den Ent F, Amos LA, Lowe J, Nature. 2001 Sep 6;413(6851):39-44. PMID:11544518

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