GTP-dependent polymerization of the tubulin-like RepX replication protein encoded by the pXO1 plasmid of Bacillus anthracis

• Published in: Molecular microbiology Vol. 67; no. 4; pp. 881 - 890
• Main Authors: Anand, Syam P, Akhtar, Parvez, Tinsley, Eowyn, Watkins, Simon C, Khan, Saleem A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2008; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Bacillus anthracis - genetics; Bacillus anthracis - metabolism; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins - chemistry; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacteriology; Biochemistry; Biopolymers; Cytoskeletal Proteins - chemistry; Cytoskeletal Proteins - genetics; Cytoskeletal Proteins - metabolism; Cytoskeleton - genetics; Cytoskeleton - metabolism; Cytoskeleton - ultrastructure; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA Replication; DNA-Binding Proteins - chemistry; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Genes, Bacterial; GTP Phosphohydrolases - chemistry; GTP Phosphohydrolases - genetics; GTP Phosphohydrolases - metabolism; Guanosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Mutation; Plasmids - genetics; Proteins; Tubulin - chemistry; Tubulin - metabolism

RepX protein encoded by the pXO1 plasmid of Bacillus anthracis is required for plasmid replication. RepX harbours the tubulin signature motif and contains limited amino acid sequence homology to the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ. Although replication proteins are not known to polymerize, here...