
Abstract Filament-forming proteins in bacteria function in stabilization and localization of proteinaceous complexes and replicons; hence they are instrumental for myriad cellular processes such as cell division and growth. Here we present two novel filament-forming proteins in cyanobacteria. Surveying cyanobacterial genomes for coiled-coil-rich proteins (CCRPs) that are predicted as putative filament-forming proteins, we observed a higher proportion of CCRPs in filamentous cyanobacteria in comparison to unicellular cyanobacteria. Using our predictions, we identified nine protein families with putative intermediate filament (IF) properties. Polymerization assays revealed four proteins that formed polymers in vitro and three proteins that formed polymers in vivo . Fm7001 from Fischerella muscicola PCC 7414 polymerized in vitro and formed filaments in vivo in several organisms. Additionally, we identified a tetratricopeptide repeat protein - All4981 - in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 that polymerized into filaments in vitro and in vivo . All4981 interacts with known cytoskeletal proteins and is indispensable for Anabaena viability. Although it did not form filaments in vitro , Syc2039 from Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 assembled into filaments in vivo and a Δ syc2039 mutant was characterized by an impaired cytokinesis. Our results expand the repertoire of known prokaryotic filament-forming CCRPs and demonstrate that cyanobacterial CCRPs are involved in cell morphology, motility, cytokinesis and colony integrity.
Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical, Synechococcus, Amino Acid Motifs, Cyanobacteria, Anabaena, Article, Recombinant Proteins, Cytoskeletal Proteins, Bacterial Proteins, Genes, Bacterial, Mutation, Protein Multimerization, Cytoskeleton
Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical, Synechococcus, Amino Acid Motifs, Cyanobacteria, Anabaena, Article, Recombinant Proteins, Cytoskeletal Proteins, Bacterial Proteins, Genes, Bacterial, Mutation, Protein Multimerization, Cytoskeleton
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 26 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
