A stochastic model for dynamics of FtsZ filaments and the formation of Z -ring
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THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL E
Regular Article
A stochastic model for dynamics of FtsZ filaments and the formation of Z-ring Arabind Swain1,2,a , A.V. Anil Kumar1,2,b , and Sumedha1,2,c 1 2
School of Physical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Jatni 752050, India Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India Received 25 September 2019 and Received in final form 14 June 2020 Published online: 2 July 2020 c EDP Sciences / Societ` a Italiana di Fisica / Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature, 2020 Abstract. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for the formation and growth of FtsZ polymers and their subsequent formation of the Z-ring is important for gaining insight into the cell division in prokaryotic cells. In this work, we present a minimal stochastic model that qualitatively reproduces in vitro observations of polymerization, formation of dynamic contractile ring that is stable for a long time and depolymerization shown by FtsZ polymer filaments. In this stochastic model, we explore different mechanisms for ring breaking and hydrolysis. In addition to hydrolysis, which is known to regulate the dynamics of other tubulin polymers like microtubules, we find that the presence of the ring allows for an additional mechanism for regulating the dynamics of FtsZ polymers. Ring breaking dynamics in the presence of hydrolysis naturally induce rescue and catastrophe events in this model irrespective of the mechanism of hydrolysis.
1 Introduction Cell division is one of the most fundamental processes in living cells. In prokaryotic cells, numerous proteins take part in assembling the machinery of cell division, called the divisome. FtsZ (Filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z) is the most important among them. This tubulin homologue polymerizes head to tail, forming dynamic protofilaments. These protofilaments together form the core of a structure called the Z-ring in the division plane of the cell [1–5]. The Z-ring persists throughout the cell division. Recent studies on septal wall suggest that FtsZ monomers move around the ring via treadmilling which guides and regulates their growth, which in turn controls division [6–10]. This dynamic ring is a phenomenon that is intrinsic to FtsZ and the importance of this contractile ring in cell division is well established by now. Recently, there have been a lot of focus both in vivo [8,9] and in vitro [11,12] to understand the dynamics of the ring. But the mechanism controlling the activity of the ring is still poorly understood. The monomers of FtsZ consist of two independent domains. The N -terminal domain with its parallel beta a
Present Address: Department of Physics, Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; e-mail: [email protected] b e-mail: [email protected] c e-mail: [email protected] (corresponding author)
sheets connected to alpha helices, provides the binding site for GTP/GDP. The C-terminal region is essential for FtsZ to interact with other pro
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