Dynamic Localization of Tat Protein Transport Machinery Components in Streptomyces coelicolor

• Published in: Journal of Bacteriology Vol. 194; no. 22; pp. 6272 - 6281
• Main Authors: Willemse, Joost, Ruban-Ośmialowska, Beata, Widdick, David, Celler, Katherine, Hutchings, Matthew I, van Wezel, Gilles P, Palmer, Tracy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.11.2012
• Subjects: bacteria; Bacterial proteins; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacteriology; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; cell membranes; Cytoplasm; Escherichia coli; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial - physiology; germ tube; Gram-positive bacteria; green fluorescent protein; image analysis; Luminescent Proteins - genetics; Luminescent Proteins - metabolism; Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism; Membranes; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Plasmids; Protein folding; protein transport; Protein Transport - physiology; Recombinant Proteins; secretion; Streptomyces coelicolor; Streptomyces coelicolor - cytology; Streptomyces coelicolor - genetics; Streptomyces coelicolor - metabolism; Time-Lapse Imaging; Actinomycetales; Streptomycetaceae; Streptomyces coelicolor; Bacteria; Actinomycetes; Localization; Protein
• ISSN: 0021-9193; 1098-5530; 1067-8832
• DOI: 10.1128/JB.01425-12

The Tat pathway transports folded proteins across the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane and is a major route of protein export in the Streptomyces genus of bacteria. In this study, we have examined the localization of Tat components in the model organism Streptomyces coelicolor by constructing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and mCherry fusions with the TatA, TatB, and TatC proteins. All three components colocalized dynamically in the vegetative hyphae, with foci of each tagged protein being prominent at the tips of emerging germ tubes and of the vegetative hyphae, suggesting that this may be a primary site of Tat secretion. Time-lapse imaging revealed that localization of the Tat components was highly dynamic during tip growth and again demonstrated a strong preference for apical sites in growing hyphae. During aerial hypha formation, TatA-eGFP and TatB-eGFP fusions relocalized to prespore compartments, indicating repositioning of Tat components during the Streptomyces life cycle.