Construction and Characterization of Functional FtsA Sandwich Fusions for Studies of FtsA Localization and Dynamics during Escherichia coli Cell Division.

ABSTRACT: FtsA, a homolog of actin, is essential for cell division of Escherichia coli and is widely conserved among many bacteria. FtsA helps to tether polymers of the bacterial tubulin homolog FtsZ to the cytoplasmic membrane as part of the cytokinetic Z ring. GFP fusions to FtsA have illuminated FtsA's localization in live E. coli, but these fusions have not been fully functional and required the presence of the native FtsA. Here, we characterize "sandwich" fusions of E. coli FtsA to either mCherry or msfGFP that are functional for cell division and exhibit fluorescent rings at midcell that persist throughout constriction until cell separation. FtsA within the Z ring moved circumferentially like FtsZ, and FtsA outside the rings formed highly dynamic patches at the membrane. Notably, both FtsA-mCh

SUBMITTER: Cameron TA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9879108 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature