Reconstitution of self-organizing protein gradients as spatial cues in cell-free systems

Intracellular protein gradients are significant determinants of spatial organization. However, little is known about how protein patterns are established, and how their positional information directs downstream processes. We have accomplished the reconstitution of a protein concentration gradient th...

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Main Authors: Katja Zieske, Petra Schwille
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2014-10-01
Series:eLife
Subjects:
Online Access:https://elifesciences.org/articles/03949
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spelling doaj-a7a155c7b8d945028f4c8bf8c1c537522021-05-04T23:28:15ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2014-10-01310.7554/eLife.03949Reconstitution of self-organizing protein gradients as spatial cues in cell-free systemsKatja Zieske0Petra Schwille1Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Munich, GermanyDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Munich, GermanyIntracellular protein gradients are significant determinants of spatial organization. However, little is known about how protein patterns are established, and how their positional information directs downstream processes. We have accomplished the reconstitution of a protein concentration gradient that directs the assembly of the cell division machinery in E.coli from the bottom-up. Reconstituting self-organized oscillations of MinCDE proteins in membrane-clad soft-polymer compartments, we demonstrate that distinct time-averaged protein concentration gradients are established. Our minimal system allows to study complex organizational principles, such as spatial control of division site placement by intracellular protein gradients, under simplified conditions. In particular, we demonstrate that FtsZ, which marks the cell division site in many bacteria, can be targeted to the middle of a cell-like compartment. Moreover, we show that compartment geometry plays a major role in Min gradient establishment, and provide evidence for a geometry-mediated mechanism to partition Min proteins during bacterial development.https://elifesciences.org/articles/03949protein gradientFtsZcytoskeletoncell divisioncell-free reconstitutionmin protein
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Katja Zieske
Petra Schwille
spellingShingle Katja Zieske
Petra Schwille
Reconstitution of self-organizing protein gradients as spatial cues in cell-free systems
eLife
protein gradient
FtsZ
cytoskeleton
cell division
cell-free reconstitution
min protein
author_facet Katja Zieske
Petra Schwille
author_sort Katja Zieske
title Reconstitution of self-organizing protein gradients as spatial cues in cell-free systems
title_short Reconstitution of self-organizing protein gradients as spatial cues in cell-free systems
title_full Reconstitution of self-organizing protein gradients as spatial cues in cell-free systems
title_fullStr Reconstitution of self-organizing protein gradients as spatial cues in cell-free systems
title_full_unstemmed Reconstitution of self-organizing protein gradients as spatial cues in cell-free systems
title_sort reconstitution of self-organizing protein gradients as spatial cues in cell-free systems
publisher eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
series eLife
issn 2050-084X
publishDate 2014-10-01
description Intracellular protein gradients are significant determinants of spatial organization. However, little is known about how protein patterns are established, and how their positional information directs downstream processes. We have accomplished the reconstitution of a protein concentration gradient that directs the assembly of the cell division machinery in E.coli from the bottom-up. Reconstituting self-organized oscillations of MinCDE proteins in membrane-clad soft-polymer compartments, we demonstrate that distinct time-averaged protein concentration gradients are established. Our minimal system allows to study complex organizational principles, such as spatial control of division site placement by intracellular protein gradients, under simplified conditions. In particular, we demonstrate that FtsZ, which marks the cell division site in many bacteria, can be targeted to the middle of a cell-like compartment. Moreover, we show that compartment geometry plays a major role in Min gradient establishment, and provide evidence for a geometry-mediated mechanism to partition Min proteins during bacterial development.
topic protein gradient
FtsZ
cytoskeleton
cell division
cell-free reconstitution
min protein
url https://elifesciences.org/articles/03949
work_keys_str_mv AT katjazieske reconstitutionofselforganizingproteingradientsasspatialcuesincellfreesystems
AT petraschwille reconstitutionofselforganizingproteingradientsasspatialcuesincellfreesystems
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