Author:
Chu Xiao,Wang Lidong,Zhu Yiheng,Feng Zhengshan,Guan Qingtian,Song Lei,Luo Zhaoqing
Abstract
AbstractIdentification of unique essential bacterial genes is important for not only the understanding of their cell biology but also the development of new antimicrobials. Here we report a previously unrecognized core component of theAcinetobacter baumanniidivisome. Our results reveal that the protein, termed Aeg1 interacts with multiple cell division proteins, including FtsN, which is required for components of the divisome to localize to the midcell. We demonstrate that the FtsAE202Kand FtsBE65Amutants effectively bypassed the need of Aeg1 byA.baumannii, as did the activation variants FtsWM254Iand FtsWS274G. Our results suggest that Aeg1 is a cell division protein that arrives at the division site to initiate cell division by recruiting FtsN, which activates FtsQLB and FtsA to induce the septal peptidoglycan synthase FtsWI. The discovery of the new essential cell division protein has provided a new target for the development of antibacterial agents.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory