Construction of intracellular asymmetry and asymmetric division in Escherichia coli

Da-Wei Lin, Yang Liu, Yue-Qi Lee, Po-Jiun Yang, Chia-Tse Ho, Jui-Chung Hong, Jye-Chian Hsiao, Liao Der-Chien, An-Jou Liang, Tzu-Chiao Hung, Yu-Chuan Chen, Hsiung-Lin Tu, Chao-Ping Hsu and Hsiao-Chun Huang ()
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Da-Wei Lin: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University
Yang Liu: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University
Yue-Qi Lee: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University
Po-Jiun Yang: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University
Chia-Tse Ho: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University
Jui-Chung Hong: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University
Jye-Chian Hsiao: Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica
Liao Der-Chien: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University
An-Jou Liang: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University
Tzu-Chiao Hung: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University
Yu-Chuan Chen: Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica
Hsiung-Lin Tu: Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica
Chao-Ping Hsu: Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica
Hsiao-Chun Huang: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract The design principle of establishing an intracellular protein gradient for asymmetric cell division is a long-standing fundamental question. While the major molecular players and their interactions have been elucidated via genetic approaches, the diversity and redundancy of natural systems complicate the extraction of critical underlying features. Here, we take a synthetic cell biology approach to construct intracellular asymmetry and asymmetric division in Escherichia coli, in which division is normally symmetric. We demonstrate that the oligomeric PopZ from Caulobacter crescentus can serve as a robust polarized scaffold to functionalize RNA polymerase. Furthermore, by using another oligomeric pole-targeting DivIVA from Bacillus subtilis, the newly synthesized protein can be constrained to further establish intracellular asymmetry, leading to asymmetric division and differentiation. Our findings suggest that the coupled oligomerization and restriction in diffusion may be a strategy for generating a spatial gradient for asymmetric cell division.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21135-1

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