Structural highlights
Function
[FTSZ_STAAR] Essential cell division protein that forms a contractile ring structure (Z ring) at the future cell division site. The regulation of the ring assembly controls the timing and the location of cell division. One of the functions of the FtsZ ring is to recruit other cell division proteins to the septum to produce a new cell wall between the dividing cells. Binds GTP and shows GTPase activity.
Publication Abstract from PubMed
The tubulin-homolog protein FtsZ is essential for bacterial cell division. FtsZ polymerizes to form protofilaments that assemble into a contractile ring-shaped structure in the presence of GTP. Recent studies showed that FtsZ treadmilling coupled with the GTPase activity drives cell wall synthesis and bacterial cell division. The treadmilling caused by assembly and disassembly of FtsZ links to a conformational change of the monomer from a tense (T) to a relaxed (R) state, but considerable controversy still remains concerning the mechanism. In this study, we report crystal structures of FtsZ from Staphylococcus aureus corresponding to the T and R state conformations in the same crystal, indicating the structural equilibrium of the two state. The two structures identified a key residue Arg29, whose importance was also confirmed by our modified MD simulations. Crystal structures of the R29A mutant showed T and R state-like conformations with slight but important structural changes compared to those of wild-type. Collectively, these data provide new insights for understanding how intramolecular interactions are related to the structural transition of FtsZ.
Identification of the key interactions in structural transition pathway of FtsZ from Staphylococcus aureus.,Fujita J, Harada R, Maeda Y, Saito Y, Mizohata E, Inoue T, Shigeta Y, Matsumura H J Struct Biol. 2017 May;198(2):65-73. doi: 10.1016/j.jsb.2017.04.008. Epub 2017, Apr 27. PMID:28456664[1]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Fujita J, Harada R, Maeda Y, Saito Y, Mizohata E, Inoue T, Shigeta Y, Matsumura H. Identification of the key interactions in structural transition pathway of FtsZ from Staphylococcus aureus. J Struct Biol. 2017 May;198(2):65-73. doi: 10.1016/j.jsb.2017.04.008. Epub 2017, Apr 27. PMID:28456664 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsb.2017.04.008
