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Journal of Bacteriology, February 2001, p. 1413-1422, Vol. 183, No. 4
0021-9193/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JB.183.4.1413-1422.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Influence of the Nucleoid on Placement of FtsZ and MinE Rings in Escherichia coli

Qin Sun and William Margolin*

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030

Received 5 July 2000/Accepted 15 November 2000

We previously presented evidence that replicating but unsegregated nucleoids, along with the Min system, act as topological inhibitors to restrict assembly of the FtsZ ring (Z ring) to discrete sites in the cell. To test if nonreplicating nucleoids have similar exclusion effects, we examined Z rings in dnaA (temperature sensitive) mutants. Z rings were excluded from centrally localized nucleoids and were often observed at nucleoid edges. Cells with nonreplicating nucleoids formed filaments, some of which contained large nucleoid-free areas in which Z rings were positioned at regular intervals. Because MinE may protect FtsZ from the action of the MinC inhibitor in these nucleoid-free zones, we examined the localization of a MinE-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion with respect to Z rings and nucleoids. Like Z rings, MinE-GFP appeared to localize independently of nucleoid position, forming rings at regular intervals in nucleoid-free regions. Unlike FtsZ, however, MinE-GFP often localized on top of nucleoids, replicating or not, suggesting that MinE is relatively insensitive to the nucleoid inhibition effect. These data suggest that both replicating and nonreplicating nucleoids are capable of topologically excluding Z rings but not MinE.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030. Phone: (713) 500-5452. Fax: (713) 500-5499. E-mail: margolin{at}utmmg.med.uth.tmc.edu.

Journal of Bacteriology, February 2001, p. 1413-1422, Vol. 183, No. 4
0021-9193/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JB.183.4.1413-1422.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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Copyright © 2001 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.