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Journal of Bacteriology, July 2002, p. 3801-3807, Vol. 184, No. 14
0021-9193/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JB.184.14.3801-3807.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Evidence from Terminal Recombination Gradients that FtsK Uses Replichore Polarity To Control Chromosome Terminus Positioning at Division in Escherichia coli

Jacqueline Corre and Jean-Michel Louarn*

Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, CNRS, 31062 Toulouse Cedex, France

Received 1 March 2002/ Accepted 15 April 2002

Chromosome dimers in Escherichia coli are resolved at the dif locus by two recombinases, XerC and XerD, and the septum-anchored FtsK protein. Chromosome dimer resolution (CDR) is subject to strong spatiotemporal control: it takes place at the time of cell division, and it requires the dif resolution site to be located at the junction between the two polarized chromosome arms or replichores. Failure of CDR results in trapping of DNA by the septum and RecABCD recombination (terminal recombination). We had proposed that dif sites of a dimer are first moved to the septum by mechanisms based on local polarity and that normally CDR then occurs as the septum closes. To determine whether FtsK plays a role in the mobilization process, as well as in the recombination reaction, we characterized terminal recombination in an ftsK mutant. The frequency of recombination at various points in the terminus region of the chromosome was measured and compared with the recombination frequency on a xerC mutant chromosome with respect to intensity, the region affected, and response to polarity distortion. The use of a prophage excision assay, which allows variation of the site of recombination and interference with local polarity, allowed us to find that cooperating FtsK-dependent and -independent processes localize dif at the septum and that DNA mobilization by FtsK is oriented by the polarity probably due to skewed sequence motifs of the mobilized material.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex, France. Phone: (33) 561-335964. Fax: (33) 561-335886. E-mail: louarn{at}ibcg.biotoul.fr.

Journal of Bacteriology, July 2002, p. 3801-3807, Vol. 184, No. 14
0021-9193/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JB.184.14.3801-3807.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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