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Contribution of the FtsQ Transmembrane Segment to Localization to the Cell Division Site

Dirk-Jan Scheffers,^1* Carine Robichon,^2, Gert Jan Haan,^1, Tanneke den Blaauwen,³ Gregory Koningstein,¹ Edwin van Bloois,¹ Jon Beckwith,² and Joen Luirink^1*

Molecular Microbiology, Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands,¹ Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115,² Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Molecular Cytology, Kruislaan 316, 1098 SM Amsterdam, The Netherlands³

Received 8 May 2007/ Accepted 3 August 2007

The Escherichia coli cell division protein FtsQ is a central component of the divisome. FtsQ is a bitopic membrane protein with a large C-terminal periplasmic domain. In this work we investigated the role of the transmembrane segment (TMS) that anchors FtsQ in the cytoplasmic membrane. A set of TMS mutants was made and analyzed for the ability to complement an ftsQ mutant. Study of the various steps involved in FtsQ biogenesis revealed that one mutant (L29/32R;V38P) failed to functionally insert into the membrane, whereas another mutant (L29/32R) was correctly assembled and interacted with FtsB and FtsL but failed to localize efficiently to the cell division site. Our results indicate that the FtsQ TMS plays a role in FtsQ localization to the division site.

Published ahead of print on 10 August 2007.

Present address: Unité de Biochimie des Interactions Macromoléculaires, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.

Present address: Centocor B.V., Einsteinweg 92, 2333 CD Leiden, The Netherlands.

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