The Ser/Thr protein kinase AfsK regulates polar growth and hyphal branching in the filamentous bacteria Streptomyces.

ABSTRACT: In cells that exhibit apical growth, mechanisms that regulate cell polarity are crucial for determination of cellular shape and for the adaptation of growth to intrinsic and extrinsic cues. Broadly conserved pathways control cell polarity in eukaryotes, but less is known about polarly growing prokaryotes. An evolutionarily ancient form of apical growth is found in the filamentous bacteria Streptomyces, and is directed by a polarisome-like complex involving the essential protein DivIVA. We report here that this bacterial polarization machinery is regulated by a eukaryotic-type Ser/Thr protein kinase, AfsK, which localizes to hyphal tips and phosphorylates DivIVA. During normal growth, AfsK regulates hyphal branching by modulating branch-site selection and some aspect of the underlying polar

SUBMITTER: Hempel AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3435184 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature