Analysis of ParAB dynamics in mycobacteria shows active movement of ParB and differential inheritance of ParA
File(s)journal.pone.0199316.pdf (8.65 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Correct chromosomal segregation, coordinated with cell division, is crucial for bacterial survival, but despite extensive studies, the mechanisms underlying this remain incompletely understood in mycobacteria. We report a detailed investigation of the dynamic interactions between ParA and ParB partitioning proteins in Mycobacterium smegmatis using microfluidics and time-lapse fluorescence microscopy to observe both proteins simultaneously. During growth and division, ParB presents as a focused fluorescent spot that subsequently splits in two. One focus moves towards a higher concentration of ParA at the new pole, while the other moves towards the old pole. We show ParB movement is in part an active process that does not rely on passive movement associated with cell growth. In some cells, another round of ParB segregation starts before cell division is complete, consistent with initiation of a second round of chromosome replication. ParA fluorescence distribution correlates with cell size, and in sister cells, the larger cell inherits a local peak of concentrated ParA, while the smaller sister inherits more homogeneously distributed protein. Cells which inherit more ParA grow faster than their sister cell, raising the question of whether inheritance of a local concentration of ParA provides a growth advantage. Alterations in levels of ParA and ParB were also found to disturb cell growth.
Date Issued
2018-06-19
Date Acceptance
2018-06-05
Citation
PLoS ONE, 2018, 13 (6), pp.1-20
ISSN
1932-6203
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Start Page
1
End Page
20
Journal / Book Title
PLoS ONE
Volume
13
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Uhía et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Sponsor
Imperial College Trust
Imperial College Trust
Identifier
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0199316
Grant Number
N/A
ICT/P52635/VS
Subjects
Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
CHROMOSOME SEGREGATION
TUBERCULOSIS
PROTEIN
GROWTH
SMEGMATIS
LOCALIZATION
ASYMMETRY
PLASMID
DIVIVA
Bacterial Proteins
Cell Division
Chromosome Segregation
Microfluidics
Mycobacterium smegmatis
Mycobacterium smegmatis
Bacterial Proteins
Microfluidics
Cell Division
Chromosome Segregation
General Science & Technology
MD Multidisciplinary
Publication Status
Published online
Date Publish Online
2018-06-19