Summary
The cell division genes ftsY, ftsE and ftsX form an operon mapping at 76 min on the Escherichia coli chromosome. The protein products of these genes have been indentified previously. We have studied the cellular location of the radiolabelled Fts proteins using maxicells and standard fractionation procedures. Previous protein sequence homologies suggested an inner membrane location for FtsE. We have confirmed this predicted location and have shown that FtsY and FtsX are also inner membrane-associated. These results are igreement with the hypothesis that FtsE may act at the inner membrane, in a “septalsome” complex, by coupling ATP hydrolysis to the process of bacterial cell division.
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Gill, D.R., Salmond, G.P.C. The Escherichia coli cell division proteins FtsY, FtsE and FtsX are inner membrane-associated. Mol Gen Genet 210, 504–508 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00327204
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00327204