Upload
jose-eliezer-cuevas-ocanto
View
216
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
7/28/2019 Colin Adrain, G.B.
1/5
interacting partners in various species are important
steps towards understanding the control of this crucial
process. The contribution of Dcp1 and Hedls to Dcp2
activation can now be explored at the molecular level.
Further cellular, structural and enzymatic analyses will
undoubtedly reveal new interacting partners of the
decapping complex and enable the mechanism that leads
to the irrevocable decision to activate decapping to
be deciphered.
AcknowledgementsWe thank Andrzej Dziembowski for his help with the PyMOL software
and members of the Seraphin laboratory for their support. This work was
supported by La Ligue contre le Cancer (Equipe Labellisee 2005), the
CNRS and the Ministry of Research (ACI BCMS).
References1 Meyer, S. et al. (2004) Messenger RNA turnover in eukaryotes:
pathways and enzymes. Crit. Rev. Biochem. Mol. Biol. 39, 197216
2 Coller, J. and Parker, R. (2004) Eukaryotic mRNA decapping. Annu.
Rev. Biochem. 73, 861890
3 Cougot, N. et al. (2004) Cap-tabolism. Trends Biochem. Sci. 29,
436444
4 Stoecklin, G. et al. (2006) ARE-mRNA degradation requires the 50
30
decay pathway. EMBO Rep. 7, 7277
5 Yamashita, A. et al. (2005) Concerted action of poly(A) nucleases and
decapping enzyme in mammalian mRNA turnover. Nat. Struct. Mol.
Biol. 12, 10541063
6 Lejeune, F. et al. (2003) Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay in
mammalian cells involves decapping, deadenylating, and exonucleo-
lytic activities. Mol. Cell 12, 675687
7 Conti, E. and Izaurralde, E. (2005) Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay:
molecular insights and mechanistic variations across species. Curr.
Opin. Cell Biol. 17, 316325
8 van Dijk, E. et al. (2002) Human Dcp2: a catalytically active mRNA
decapping enzyme located in specific cytoplasmic structures.EMBO J.
21, 69156924
9 Wang, Z. et al. (2002) The hDcp2 protein is a mammalian mRNA
decapping enzyme. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 99, 1266312668
10 Lykke-Andersen, J. (2002) Identification of a human decapping
complex associated with hUpf proteins in nonsense-mediated decay.
Mol. Cell. Biol. 22, 81148121
11 Ingelfinger, D. et al. (2002) The human LSm1-7 proteins colocalize
with the mRNA-degrading enzymes Dcp1/2 and Xrnl in distinct
cytoplasmic foci. RNA 8, 14891501
12 Eystathioy, T. etal. (2003) The GW182 protein colocalizes with mRNA
degradation associated proteins hDcp1and hLSm4 in cytoplasmicGW
bodies. RNA 9, 11711173
13 Sheth, U. and Parker, R. (2003) Decapping and decay of messengerRNA occur in cytoplasmic processing bodies. Science 300, 805808
14 Cougot, N. et al. (2004) Cytoplasmic foci are sites of mRNA decay in
human cells. J. Cell Biol. 165, 3140
15 She, M. et al. (2006) Crystal structure and functional analysis of
Dcp2p from Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 13,
6370
16 Fenger-Grn, M.et al. (2005) Multiple processing body factors and the
ARE binding protein TTP activate mRNA decapping. Mol. Cell 20,
905915
17 Steiger, M. et al. (2003) Analysis of recombinant yeast decapping
enzyme. RNA 9, 231238
18 Beelman, C.A. et al. (1996) An essential component of the decapping
enzyme required for normal rates of mRNA turnover. Nature 382,
642646
19 Dunckley, T. and Parker, R. (1999) The DCP2 protein is required for
mRNA decapping in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and contains afunctional MutT motif. EMBO J. 18, 54115422
20 She, M. et al. (2004) Crystal structure of Dcp1p and its functional
implications in mRNA decapping. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 11, 249256
21 Coller, J.M. et al. (2001) The DEAD box helicase, Dhh1p, functions in
mRNA decapping and interacts with both the decapping and dead-
enylase complexes. RNA 7, 17171727
22 Badis, G. et al. (2004) Targeted mRNA degradation by deadenylation-
independent decapping. Mol. Cell 15, 515
23 Yu, J.H. et al. (2005) Ge-1 is a central component of the mammalian
cytoplasmic mRNA processing body. RNA 11, 17951802
0968-0004/$ - see front matter Q 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.tibs.2006.03.001
Apoptosomes: protease activation platformsto die from
Colin Adrain, Gabriela Brumatti and Seamus J. Martin
Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics, The Smurfit Institute, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
Apoptosis is orchestrated by members of the caspase
family of cysteine proteases that exist as latent pro-
enzymes in healthy cells. Caspase-activating platforms,
called apoptosomes, initiate caspase activation in
metazoans as diverse as nematodes and mammals.
Several recent studies have generated new insights into
the composition and assembly mechanisms of worm, fly
and human apoptosomes.
Apoptosomes promote caspase activation
During apoptosis, cells actively participate in their own
elimination by activating proteolytic enzymes, called
caspases (for cysteine aspartic acid-specific proteases)
[1]. Initiator caspases become activated at the onset of
apoptosis and unleash a barrage of proteolytic activity
within the cell by activating downstream (effector)
caspases through direct proteolysis. Effector caspases
dismantle cellular structures and shut down vital bio-
chemical processes, resulting in controlled cell death and
phagocyte-mediated removal of cell corpses [2,3]. AnCorresponding author: Martin, S.J. ([email protected]).
Available online 3 April 2006
Update TRENDS in Biochemical Sciences Vol.31 No.5 May 2006 243
www.sciencedirect.com
mailto:[email protected]://www.sciencedirect.com/http://www.sciencedirect.com/mailto:[email protected]7/28/2019 Colin Adrain, G.B.
2/5
important route to caspase activation involves the
assembly of caspase-activating complexes, called apopto-
somes, in response to diverse forms of cellular stress [4].
Three recent studies provide fresh insights into the
composition of worm, fly and mammalian apoptosomes
and highlight interesting differences between their
symmetry and assembly mechanisms [57].
Worm apoptosomes contain CED-4 tetramers
A single caspase, CED (cell death abnormal)-3, is both
necessary and sufficient for all developmental pro-
grammed cell deaths that take place in the nematode
C. elegans. Genetic and molecular studies have established
that CED-3 is activated in response to developmental cues
and that this requires its adapterprotein, CED-4. Normally,
CED-4 is restrained from activating CED-3 through
interaction with mitochondrion-tethered CED-9 [8,9].
CED-9 can be neutralized by EGL-1 (egg-laying defective-
1), which displaces it from CED-4 to trigger assembly of the
CED-4CED-3 apoptosome [9]. Until now, the structure of
the worm apoptosome was obscure.
Shi and colleagues [5] have recently reconstituted the
C. elegans cell-death pathway in vitro using purified
proteins and have found that CED-4, in its inactive state,
is an asymmetric dimer in complex with a single molecule
of CED-9 (Figure 1a). Similar observations have also been
made by Colman and colleagues [10], although these
authors conclude that the inactive CED-4CED-9 complex
possesses 2:2 stoichiometry. Assembly of the worm
apoptosome seems to require CED-4 to further oligomerize
into a tetrameric particle that functions as an activation
platform for CED-3 [5]. This is achieved through
TiBS
CED-9 CED-4
CED-3
DARK
DRONC
DIAP1
Inactive Active
(a) Worm
(b) Fly
(c) Mammalian
Apaf-1
Caspase-9
DRONC
Caspase-9
CED-3
Cyt cdATP
dATP
ATP
CED-4
DARK
Apaf-1
EGL-1CED-13
ReaperHid
GrimSickle
BH3-onlyproteins
Figure 1. Assembly of worm, fly and human apoptosomes. (a) In the nematode worm, CED-4 (grey octagon) and CED-3 (red circle) can be induced to form apoptosomes
throughdisplacement of the cell-death-inhibitory protein,CED-9(purple), fromCED-4 dimers.CED-9 canbe displaced by either of theBH3-onlyproteins EGL-1 or CED-13,and
thispermitsthe further dimerizationof CED-4dimersto formtetramers thatcan activatethe CED-3 caspase. (b) In the fly, the CED-4-related protein,DARK (grey octagon),can
oligomerize into an octameric structure that contains the CED-3-related protease DRONC (red circle). Fly apoptosomes are thought to be prevented from assemblingthrough
inhibition of DRONC by DIAP1. DIAP1 can be neutralized by the small proteins Reaper, Hid, Grim or Sickle (which are induced in response to specific stimuli) and this permits
assembly of the octameric fly apoptosome. (c) In mammals, the CED-4-related protein Apaf-1 can be induced to oligomerize into heptameric apoptosomes that contain
caspase-9. Thisis controlled by a family of proteins(the BH3-onlymembers of theBcl-2 family) thatbecomeactivated in responseto death triggersand liberateCyt cfromthe
mitochondrial intermembrane space. Cyt cacts as a co-factor for apoptosome assembly and, in association with dATP, triggers oligomerization of Apaf-1 and its association
with caspase-9.
Update TRENDS in Biochemical Sciences Vol.31 No.5 May 2006244
www.sciencedirect.com
http://www.sciencedirect.com/http://www.sciencedirect.com/7/28/2019 Colin Adrain, G.B.
3/5
displacing CED-9 from the CED-4 dimer by the Bcl-2
homology 3 (BH3)-only protein, EGL-1 (or the related
CED-13), which induces a major conformational change in
CED-9 and disrupts the binding interface between the
latter and CED-4 [5]. The number of molecules of CED-3
that become associated with the tetrameric CED-4
apoptosome remains unclear, but this could be as many
as eight if each CED-4 molecule recruits a CED-3
homodimer into the complex (Figure 1a). Further studiesare needed to answer this question and also to provide a
high-resolution view of the fully armed CED-4CED-
3 apoptosome.
Fly apoptosomes contain octamers of DARK
In Drosophila, the CED-4 relative DARK (Drosophila
Apaf-1-related killer) is essential for programmed cell
death in many situations and this protein selectively
interacts with the fly caspase DRONC (Drosophila Nedd2-
like caspase) [11,12]. Although similar in domain organ-
ization to CED-4, DARK is a substantially larger protein
owing to the presence of multiple WD40 repeats at its C
terminus; this region within DARK might have an auto-
inhibitory function. Curiously, DRONC activation by
DARK does not seem to be regulated by either of the two
known fly relatives of CED-9. Indeed, it is not clear what
role, if any, CED-9-related proteins have in the regulation
of programmed cell death in the fly because data have yet
to emerge to suggest that they function as important
arbiters of cell fate in this organism. Instead, the fly death
machinery is repressed mainly by the caspase-inhibitory
protein Drosophila inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein 1
(DIAP1) [13]. Inactivation of the gene encoding DIAP1
results in widespread cell death, leading to lethality early
in development. Thus, DIAP1 might constitutively associ-
ate with fly caspases such as DRONC and prevent
spontaneous activation of these proteases (Figure 1b).
Akey and colleag ues have recent ly res olve d the
structure of oligomerized DARK at 18.8 A using electron
cryo-microscopy [6]. The active DARK apoptosome is an
impressive wheel-like octamer that forms in the presence
(a) Fly
Top view Bottom view Domain model
(b) Human
Top view Bottom view Domain model
CARD NBD HD1 WHD HD2 8 6
CARD Cyt cNBD HD1 WHD HD2 7 6
Figure 2. Structure of the fly and human apoptosomes. (a) Surface views (left and middle) and domain model (right) of the fly apoptosome. The fly apoptosome comprises
eight molecules of DARK (depicted) and an, as yet, unknown number of molecules of the fly caspase DRONC (not shown). Assembly of the fly apoptosome from DARK
monomers can be initiated through neutralization of the fly caspase-inhibitory protein, DIAP1, by Reaper, Hid or Grim. Assembled apoptosomes are likely to recruit several
molecules of the DRONC protease (via the CARD domains of DARK that are located towards the centre of the apoptosome), which probably results in DRONC activation
through an allosteric mechanism. (b) Surface views (left and middle) and domain model (right) of the human apoptosome. Assembly of Apaf-1 apoptosomes is initiated by
theescapeof Cyt cfromthe mitochondrial intermembrane spaceinto the cytosol.This event is regulated by members of the Bcl-2familythat caneither promoteCyt crelease
(BH3-only proteinsand the Baxsubfamily)or antagonizeit (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL andrelatedproteins).Cyt cpromotesApaf-1oligomerizationby interacting withthe C-terminal WD40
repeats within Apaf-1, which fold into two b-propellers that are located towards the periphery of the structure. Assembled Apaf-1 apoptosomes recruit several molecules of
caspase-9 (not shown) and promote auto-activation of this protease through an allosteric mechanism. Domains within DARK and Apaf-1 are colour-coded as indicated.
Abbreviations: b, b propellers; CARD, caspase-recruitment domain; HD, helix domain; NBD, nucleotide-binding domain; WHD, winged-helix domain. Part (a) reproduced,
with permission, from Ref. [6]; Part (b) reproduced, with permission, from Ref. [7].
Update TRENDS in Biochemical Sciences Vol.31 No.5 May 2006 245
www.sciencedirect.com
http://www.sciencedirect.com/http://www.sciencedirect.com/7/28/2019 Colin Adrain, G.B.
4/5
of dATP (2 0-deoxyadenosine 50-triphosphate), but not ATP
(Figures 1b and 2a). Interestingly, DARK apoptosomes
were also found to further dimerize into double-wheeled
structures, but the significance of this remains unclear at
present. The number of DRONC molecules that become
recruited to DARK apoptosomes is also not known because
these were assembled in the absence of caspase, but it is
likely that it is a similar number to that of DARK
subunits. The natural trigger for oligomerization ofDARK is not yet clear and it remains possible that binding
partners that repress spontaneous DARK oligomerization
in vivo exist. It is also possible that DARK could exist in a
pre-oligomerized state and that activation of the fly
apoptosome is regulated at the level of DRONC recruit-
ment into the complex. Activation of the fly apoptosome is
controlled by three proteins Reaper, Hid and Grim the
expression of which can be induced by various death
stimuli [13,14]. Any one of these three proteins can
neutralize DIAP1 and can either permit recruitment of
DRONC into the apoptosome or unmask the activity of
pre-recruited DRONC. The structure of the fully
assembled fly apoptosome loaded with the DRONCprotease awaits determination.
Human apoptosomes contain Apaf-1 heptamers
In vertebrates, the CED-4-relative Apaf-1 constitutes the
scaffold upon which the apoptosome is assembled [15].
Like DARK, the C-terminal region of Apaf-1 contains
multiple WD40 repeats, which are absent in CED-4, and
these are involved in regulating the assembly of the Apaf-
1 apoptosome. Although 12 human caspases have been
identified, only one of these caspase-9 can associate
with Apaf-1 to form apoptosomes [15,16]. Surprisingly,
assembly of the human apoptosome is controlled by
the electron-transport protein cytochrome c (Cyt c),
which is released from mitochondria during apoptosis
and triggers oligomerization of Apaf-1 into a wheel-like
heptameric complex (Figures 1c and 2b). Although human
relatives of CED-9 including Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL do
regulate the assembly of Apaf-1 apoptosomes, this is
achieved indirectly by regulating the release of Cyt c from
the mitochondrial intermembrane space and not through
direct interaction with Apaf-1 [17].
A recent paper from Akey and colleagues has provided
new views of the Apaf-1 apoptosome at 12.8 A resolution
[7]. The human and fly apoptosomes are similar in overall
structure, but a major difference is the number of subunits
they contain (Figure 2). The central hub of the Apaf-1
apoptosome is formed by lateral interactions between thenucleotide-binding and oligomerization domains. The hub
is capped with a crown of caspase-recruitment domains
(CARDs), which are the regions within Apaf-1 that are
responsible for capturing caspase-9 molecules through a
similar motif located at the N terminus of caspase-9.
The spokes of the apoptosome are formed by the
C-terminal WD-40 repeats, which fold into two b
propellers to form a cleft that is likely to be important in
regulating the propensity of Apaf-1 to oligomerize. To
date, the precise location and number of Cyt c molecules
within the human apoptosome has been obscure, although
it has been proposed that Cyt c binding to the cleft within
the Apaf-1 b propellers could trigger a conformational
change that permits apoptosome oligomerization [18,19].
Confirming this, Akey and colleagues docked a single
molecule of Cyt c within this cleft, suggesting that Cyt c
binds to Apaf-1 with a 1:1 stoichiometry [7]. However, it
should be noted that the assignments of the b-propellers
and Cyt c are based on docking experiments rather than
genuine atomic structures. The current study by Akey and
colleagues provides a strikingly detailed view of theassembled apoptosome, albeit lacking Caspase-9 [7], but,
from previous studies, it is likely that the caspase forms a
dome on top of the central hub [19] (Figure 2). However,
the precise arrangement and number of caspase-9
molecules within the Apaf-1 apoptosome remains to be
determined. Consequently, it is also unclear how recruit-
ment of caspase-9 to the apoptosome results in activation
of this protease, although an allosteric mechanism
is probable.
Structural clues about apoptosome latency
Alth ough assembl y of the worm, fly and human
apoptosomes is regulated in different ways, they sharea common requirement for binding of ATP or dATP and
an ability to form wheel-like oligomeric structures.
Although there is no evidence at present that either
CED-4 or DARK can hydrolyse the bound nucleotide, a
recent study from Wang and colleagues indicates that
dATP hydrolysis is essential for proper assembly of the
Apaf-1 apoptosome [20]. In the absence of Cyt c, Apaf-1
is monomeric, contains a single dATP molecule and
cannot interact with Caspase-9. The new data suggest
that Cyt c triggers a conformational change within Apaf-
1 that is driven by hydrolysis of the bound dATP to
dADP, followed by exchange for dATP and oligomeriza-
tion of Apaf-1 into the heptameric complex that can then
recruit and activate caspase-9 [7,20].
Concluding remarks
Recent studies have provided substantial insights into the
structure of worm, fly and human apoptosomes but it
should be noted that, in all cases, these apoptosomes have
been built using recombinant proteins in the absence of
their caspase partners. The isolation and characterization
of native apoptosomes from apoptotic cells is likely to be a
formidable challenge. In addition, several important
questions remain unresolved. Although, it is clear that
CED-3 is an integral part of the worm apoptosome, few
substrates for this protease have yet to be identified. A
similar lack of knowledge pertains to how DRONCcoordinates death in the fly, although, in this instance,
at least two other proteases are activated downstream. It
is also perplexing that, although CED-9 relatives have
been found in the fly, they do not seem to have either a
direct or indirect role in regulating assembly of the fly
apoptosome. Neither does there seem to be a role for Cyt c
in regulating fly apoptosomes, despite the structural
similarity between Apaf-1 and DARK. In mammals, the
Apaf-1caspase-9 apoptosome is now well characterized,
but several studies have provided tantalizing evidence
that another apoptosome that activates caspase-2 could
also exist [2123].
Update TRENDS in Biochemical Sciences Vol.31 No.5 May 2006246
www.sciencedirect.com
http://www.sciencedirect.com/http://www.sciencedirect.com/7/28/2019 Colin Adrain, G.B.
5/5
To die will be an awfully big adventure (J.M. Barrie)
how true this has turned out to be, at least at the
cellular level.
AcknowledgementsWe apologize to authors whose papers could not be cited owing to space
constraints. We are grateful to Science Foundation Ireland for ongoing
support of work in our laboratory and to Christopher W. Akey for kindly
providing the structures presented in Figure 2.
References1 Fuentes-Prior, P. and Salvesen, G.S. (2004) The protein structures
that shape caspase activity, specificity, activation and inhibition.
Biochem. J. 384, 201232
2 Fischer, U. et al. (2003) Many cuts to ruin: a comprehensive update of
caspase substrates. Cell Death Differ. 10, 76100
3 Savill, J. and Fadok, V. (2000) Corpse clearance defines the meaning of
cell death. Nature 407, 784788
4 Adrain, C. and Martin, S.J. (2001) The mitochondrial apoptosome: a
killer unleashed by the cytochrome seas. Trends Biochem. Sci. 26,
390397
5 Yan, N. et al. (2005) Structure of the CED-4CED-9 complex provides
insights into programmed cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Nature 437, 831837
6 Yu, X. et al. (2006) Three-dimensional structure of a doubleapoptosome formed by the Drosophila Apaf-1 related killer. J. Mol.
Biol. 355, 577589
7 Yu, X. et al. (2005) Structure of the human apoptosome at 12.8 A
resolution provides insights into this cell death platform.Structure 13,
17251735
8 Spector, M.S. et al. (1997) Interaction between the C. elegans cell-
death regulators CED-9 and CED-4. Nature 385, 653656
9 Chen, F. et al. (2000) Translocation of C. elegans CED-4 to nuclear
membranes during programmed cell death. Science 287,
14851489
10 Fairlie, W.D.et al. (2006) CED-4 forms a 2:2 heterotetrameric complex
with CED-9 until specifically displaced by EGL-1 or CED-13. Cell
Death Differ. 13, 426434
11 Abrams, J.M. (1999) An emerging blueprint for apoptosis in
Drosophila. Trends Cell Biol. 9, 435440
12 Quinn, L.M. et al. (2000) An essential role for the caspase DRONC in
developmentally programmed cell death inDrosophila.J. Biol. Chem.
275, 4041640424
13 Wang, S.L. et al. (1999) The Drosophila caspase inhibitor DIAP1 is
essential for cell survival and is negatively regulated by HID. Cell 98,
453463
14 Goyal, L. et al. (2000) Induction of apoptosis by Drosophila Reaper,
Hid and Grim through inhibition of IAP function. EMBO J. 19,
589597
15 Li, P. et al. (1997) Cytochrome c and dATP-dependent formation of
Apaf-1/caspase-9 complex initiates an apoptotic protease cascade. Cell
91, 479489
16 Hill, M.M. et al. (2004) Analysis of the composition, assembly
kinetics and activity of native Apaf-1 apoptosomes. EMBO J. 23,
21342145
17 Newmeyer, D.D. and Ferguson-Miller, S. (2003) Mitochondria:
releasing power for life and unleashing the machineries of death.
Cell 112, 481490
18 Adrain, C. et al. (1999) Regulation of apoptotic protease activating
factor-1 oligomerization and apoptosis by the WD-40 repeat region.
J. Biol. Chem. 274, 2085520860
19 Acehan, D. et al. (2002) Three-dimensional structure of the
apoptosome: implications for assembly, procaspase-9 binding, and
activation. Mol. Cell 9, 423432
20 Kim, H.E. et al. (2005) Formation of apoptosome is initiated by
cytochrome c-induced dATP hydrolysis and subsequent nucleotide
exchange on Apaf-1. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 102, 1754517550
21 Read, S.H. et al. (2002) A novel Apaf-1-independent putative caspase-
2 activation complex. J. Cell Biol. 159, 739745
22 Tinel, A. and Tschopp, J. (2004) The PIDDosome, a protein complex
implicated in activation of caspase-2 in response to genotoxic stress.
Science 304, 843846
23 Tu, S. et al. (2006) In situ trapping of activated initiator caspases
reveals a role for caspase-2 in heat shock-induced apoptosis. Nat. Cell
Biol. 8, 7277
0968-0004/$ - see front matter Q 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.tibs.2006.03.004
Assembling the bacterial segrosome
Finbarr Hayes1 and Daniela Barilla` 2
1Faculty of Life Sciences and Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street,
Manchester, M1 7ND, UK2Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, PO Box 373, York, YO10 5YW, UK
Genome segregation in prokaryotes is a highly orderedprocess that integrates with DNA replication, cytokin-
esis and other fundamental facets of the bacterial cell
cycle. The segrosome is the nucleoprotein complex that
mediates DNA segregation in bacteria, its assembly and
organization is best understood for plasmid partition.
The recent elucidation of structures of the ParB plasmid
segregation protein bound to centromeric DNA, and of
the tertiary structures of other segregation proteins, are
key milestones in the path to deciphering the molecularbasis of bacterial DNA segregation.
DNA segregation in prokaryotes
DNA segregation is a fundamental process that cells
perform with high precision to ensure stable genome
transmission during cytokinesis. Whereas chromosome
segregation in eukaryotes is comparatively well described
[1], the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that
direct genome partition in prokaryotes is more rudimen-
tary. Plasmids are tractable model systems with which to
decipher the DNA-segregation process in bacteria:
Corresponding authors: Hayes, F. ([email protected]), Barilla, D.
Available online 11 April 2006
Update TRENDS in Biochemical Sciences Vol.31 No.5 May 2006 247
www.sciencedirect.com
http://-/?-mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.sciencedirect.com/http://www.sciencedirect.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://-/?-