Critical Role for the Extended N Terminus of Chlamydial MreB in Directing Its Membrane Association and Potential Interaction with Divisome Proteins
Junghoon Lee, John V. Cox, Scot P. Ouellette
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen, causing sexually transmitted diseases and trachoma. The study of chlamydial physiology is important for developing novel therapeutic strategies for these diseases. Chlamydiae divide by a unique MreB-dependent polarized cell division process. In this study, we investigated unique properties of chlamydial MreB and observed that chlamydial species harbor an extended N-terminal region possessing amphipathicity. MreB formed a ring at the septum, like FtsZ in Escherichia coli , and its localization was dependent upon the amphipathic nature of its extended N terminus. Furthermore, this region is crucial for the interaction of MreB with cell division proteins. Given these results, chlamydial MreB likely functions at the septum as a scaffold for divisome proteins to regulate cell division in this organism.