Characterization of the Vibrio harveyi CgtA protein

University Of Michigan At Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) GTP-binding proteins play crucial roles in the regulation of fundamental processes in cells of all living organisms. In fact, small monomeric GTP-binding proteins have been found in every organism examined thus far. In eukaryotic cells, these proteins are involved in a number of essential processes, such as signal transduction, protein synthesis and translocation or cell cycle regulation. However, perhaps surprisingly, relatively little information is currently available about roles of GTP-binding proteins in prokaryotes. A subfamily of small GTP-binding proteins, including products of obg and cgtA genes from Bacillus subtilis and Caulobacter crescentus respectively, was discovered recently in bacteria. Members of this subfamily are present in diverse organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. On the other hand, functions of these proteins in regulation of cellular processes are largely unknown. Genes coding for these proteins are essential in almost all bacteria investigated thus far. However a viable Vibrio harveyi insertional mutant in the cgtA gene was described recently by us. Therefore, this mutant gives a unique opportunity to study functions of a member of the subfamily of Obg-like proteins. The goal of this work is to investigate roles of the CgtA protein in the regulation of cellular processes. Our preliminary experiments suggest that the cgtA gene product may be involved in regulation of crucial chromosome functions like synchronization of DNA replication initiation, chromosome partition and DNA repair. We plan to perfom both gentic and biochemical studies to learn about processes and mechanisms controlled by CgtA and about biochemical functions of this protein. Since there is a strong similarity between CgtA-like proteins in diverse organisms, including humans, we believe that studies planned by us and described is this application are of general biological significance.