Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Fluorescence Live-cell Imaging of the Complete Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Slow-growing Social Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus
11:45

Fluorescence Live-cell Imaging of the Complete Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Slow-growing Social Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus

Published on: June 20, 2018

Characterization of the partitioning system of Myxococcus plasmid pMF1

Xia Sun1, Xiao-jing Chen, Jing Feng

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, China.

Plos One
|December 17, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Researchers characterized the partitioning (par) system of the myxobacterial plasmid pMF1. The study identified novel structural and functional characteristics of the parCAB genes, crucial for plasmid stability.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • pMF1 is the only known autonomously replicating plasmid in myxobacteria.
  • Plasmid stability is crucial for genetic studies and biotechnological applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the partitioning (par) system of the myxobacterial plasmid pMF1.
  • To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying pMF1 plasmid stability in Myxococcus cells.

Main Methods:

  • Identification and characterization of open reading frames (ORFs) within the pMF1 par region.
  • DNase I footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) to study protein-DNA interactions.
  • Analysis of gene expression regulation by the par proteins.

Main Results:

  • A three-ORF fragment (pMF1.21-pMF1.23), named parCAB, was identified and significantly enhanced plasmid stability.
  • The ParA protein (pMF1.22) showed homology to the parA ATPase family.
  • ParB (pMF1.23) is a DNA-binding protein recognizing iteron sequences, while ParC (pMF1.21) enhances ParB binding.
  • ParB autogenously repressed par gene expression, consistent with a type Ib partitioning pattern.

Conclusions:

  • The pMF1 par system exhibits novel structural and functional features.
  • The parCAB system plays a critical role in maintaining pMF1 plasmid stability in myxobacteria.
  • Iteron sequences recognized by ParB are broadly distributed on the pMF1 plasmid.

More Related Videos

Transmembrane Domain Oligomerization Propensity determined by ToxR Assay06:45

Transmembrane Domain Oligomerization Propensity determined by ToxR Assay

Published on: May 26, 2011

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins09:40

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes01:24

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...
Plasmids01:28

Plasmids

Plasmids are extrachromosomal DNA molecules found in bacteria, archaea, and some eukaryotic microbes like yeast. These small, circular DNA structures typically contain fewer than 30 genes, although some may exist linearly. Plasmids vary in their number within a cell, known as copy number. Single-copy plasmids are present in one copy per cell and multi-copy plasmids are present in multiple copies, reaching over 100 copies per cell.Plasmids usually replicate independently of the chromosomal DNA...
Bacterial Phylum Planctomycetes01:26

Bacterial Phylum Planctomycetes

Planctomycetes are a group of morphologically distinct bacteria predominantly classified into two orders: Planctomycetales and Brocadiales. These gram-negative bacteria exhibit unique features, including division by budding and the presence of stalks or appendages. Their cells are often found in rosette arrangements, and they are notable for possessing an S-layer in their cell envelope, which is relatively uncommon among bacteria. Additionally, Planctomycetes frequently exhibit intracellular...
DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...