Cell cycle in E. coli - Skarstad group
Ingvild Flåtten
We wish to understand how the mechanisms of regulation of chromosome replication segregation and cell division work, and how they are coupled to cell growth. Initiation of replication occurs once every generation. Re-initiation is prevented by inactivation of new origins by sequestration, and inactivation and titration of DnaA protein.
Current projects:
- Characterization of sequestration and identification of unknown sequestration factors
- Characterization of the function and control of the initiation complex
- Interaction of DnaA protein with the membrane
Recent references
- Skarstad,K and A. Løbner-Olesen (2003) Stable coexistence of separate replicons in Escherichia coli is dependent on once-per-cell-cycle initiation. EMBO J. 22:140-50
- Bach, T, M.A. Krekling and K. Skarstad (2003) Excess SeqA prolongs sequestration of oriC and delays nucleoid segregation and cell division. EMBO J. 22:315-23
- Fossum, S., S. Søreide and K. Skarstad (2003) Lack of SeqA focus formation, specific DNA binding and proper protein multimerization in the Escherichia coli sequestration mutant seqA2. Mol. Microbiol. 47:619-32
- Morigen, A. Løbner-Olesen and K. Skarstad (2003) Titration of the Escherichia coli DnaA protein to excess datA sites causes destabilization of replication forks, delayed replication initiation and delayed cell division. Mol. Microbiol. 50:349-362
- Bach, T and K. Skarstad (2003) Premature replication from non-sequesterable origins generates three-nucleoid cells which divide asymmetrically. Mol. Microbiol. (in press)
