FtsK translocation on DNA stops at XerCD-dif.

Journal article

Escherichia coli FtsK is a powerful, fast, double-stranded DNA translocase, which can strip proteins from DNA. FtsK acts in the late stages of chromosome segregation by facilitating sister chromosome unlinking at the division septum. KOPS-guided DNA translocation directs FtsK towards dif, located within the replication terminus region, ter, where FtsK activates XerCD site-specific recombination. Here we show that FtsK translocation stops specifically at XerCD-dif, thereby preventing removal of XerCD from dif and allowing activation of chromosome unlinking by recombination. Stoppage of translocation at XerCD-dif is accompanied by a reduction in FtsK ATPase and is not associated with FtsK dissociation from DNA. Specific stoppage at recombinase-DNA complexes does not require the FtsKgamma regulatory subdomain, which interacts with XerD, and is not dependent on either recombinase-mediated DNA cleavage activity, or the formation of synaptic complexes.

Authors: Graham, J; Sivanathan, V; Sherratt, D; Arciszewska, L

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Journal: Nucleic acids research
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 72-81
• Publication date: 2010-01-01
• DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp843
• EISSN: 1362-4962
• ISSN: 0305-1048
• Language: English
• Keywords: Protein Transport; DNA Cleavage; Escherichia coli Proteins; Binding Sites; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Integrases; Adenosine Triphosphatases; Recombination, Genetic; DNA; Membrane Proteins