Synthesis of empty bacterial microcompartments, directed organelle protein incorporation, and evidence of filament-associated organelle movement

Parsons, J.B., Frank, S., Bhella, D. , Liang, M., Prentice, M.B., Mulvihill, D.P. and Warren, M.J. (2010) Synthesis of empty bacterial microcompartments, directed organelle protein incorporation, and evidence of filament-associated organelle movement. Molecular Cell, 38(2), pp. 305-315. (doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2010.04.008) (PMID:20417607)

Abstract

Compartmentalization is an important process, since it allows the segregation of metabolic activities and, in the era of synthetic biology, represents an important tool by which defined microenvironments can be created for specific metabolic functions. Indeed, some bacteria make specialized proteinaceous metabolic compartments called bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) or metabolosomes. Here we demonstrate that the shell of the metabolosome (representing an empty BMC) can be produced within E. coil cells by the coordinated expression of genes encoding structural proteins. A plethora of diverse structures can be generated by changing the expression profile of these genes, including the formation of large axial filaments that interfere with septation. Fusing GFP to PduC, PduD, or PduV, none of which are shell proteins, allows regiospecific targeting of the reporter group to the empty BMC. Live cell imaging provides unexpected evidence of filament-associated BMC movement within the cell in the presence of PduV

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Bhella, Professor David
• Authors: Parsons, J.B., Frank, S., Bhella, D., Liang, M., Prentice, M.B., Mulvihill, D.P., and Warren, M.J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research
• Journal Name: Molecular Cell
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1097-2765
• ISSN (Online): 1097-4164
• Published Online: 22 April 2010
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc.
• First Published: First published in Molecular Cell 38(2):305-315
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
65654	1	Structural studies of human viruses and host interactions	David Bhella	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MC_UU_12014/7	MVLS III - CENTRE FOR VIRUS RESEARCH