Segregation of prokaryotic magnetosomes organelles is driven by treadmilling of a dynamic actin-like MamK filament.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The navigation of magnetotactic bacteria relies on specific intracellular organelles, the magnetosomes, which are membrane-enclosed crystals of magnetite aligned into a linear chain. The magnetosome chain acts as a cellular compass, aligning the cells in the geomagnetic field in order to search for suitable environmental conditions in chemically stratified water columns and sediments. During cytokinesis, magnetosome chains have to be properly positioned, cleaved and separated in order to be evenly passed into daughter cells. In Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense, the assembly of the magnetosome chain is controlled by the actin-like MamK, which polymerizes into cytoskeletal filaments that are connected to magnetosomes through the acidic MamJ protein. MamK filaments were spe

SUBMITTER: Toro-Nahuelpan M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5059902 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature