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| Title | Structural basis for the interaction between the bacterial cell division proteins FtsZ and ZapA. |
|---|---|
| Journal, issue, pages | Nat Commun, Vol. 16, Issue 1, Page 5985, Year 2025 |
| Publish date | Jul 1, 2025 |
Authors | Junso Fujita / Kazuki Kasai / Kota Hibino / Gota Kagoshima / Natsuki Kamimura / Shungo Tobita / Yuki Kato / Ryo Uehara / Keiichi Namba / Takayuki Uchihashi / Hiroyoshi Matsumura / ![]() |
| PubMed Abstract | Cell division in most bacteria is regulated by the tubulin homolog FtsZ as well as ZapA, a FtsZ-associated protein. However, how FtsZ and ZapA function coordinately has remained elusive. Here we ...Cell division in most bacteria is regulated by the tubulin homolog FtsZ as well as ZapA, a FtsZ-associated protein. However, how FtsZ and ZapA function coordinately has remained elusive. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the ZapA-FtsZ complex at 2.73 Å resolution. The complex forms an asymmetric ladder-like structure, in which the double antiparallel FtsZ protofilament on one side and a single protofilament on the other side are tethered by ZapA tetramers. In the complex, the extensive interactions of FtsZ with ZapA cause a structural change of the FtsZ protofilament, and the formation of the double FtsZ protofilament increases electrostatic repulsion. High-speed atomic force microscopy analysis revealed cooperative interactions of ZapA with FtsZ at a molecular level. Our findings not only provide a structural basis for the interaction between FtsZ and ZapA but also shed light on how ZapA binds to FtsZ protofilaments without disturbing FtsZ dynamics to promote cell division. |
External links | Nat Commun / PubMed:40593603 / PubMed Central |
| Methods | EM (helical sym.) / X-ray diffraction |
| Resolution | 1.8 - 2.73 Å |
| Structure data | EMDB-60837, PDB-9isk: ![]() PDB-9isj: |
| Chemicals | ![]() ChemComp-CL: ![]() ChemComp-HOH: ![]() ChemComp-G2P: ![]() ChemComp-MG: ![]() ChemComp-K: |
| Source |
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Keywords | CELL CYCLE / Bacterial cell division / divisome / FtsZ / ZapA |
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Klebsiella pneumoniae (bacteria)
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