Academic Integrity: tutoring, explanations, and feedback — we don’t complete graded work or submit on a student’s behalf.

6a. (5 pts) FtsZ is essential for cell division and thus its gene cannot be dele

ID: 193629 • Letter: 6

Question

6a. (5 pts) FtsZ is essential for cell division and thus its gene cannot be deleted from the chromosome, however rescarchers isolated temperature-sensitive mutations in FtsZ (cells can divide at 30°C but not at 42 C) to study its function. Give one explanation for how changing an amino acid would result in a protein that no longer functions correctly at non-lethal high temperature 6b. (6 pts) Based on its known function, what effect do you think a similar temperature-sensitive mutation in MinC would have on FtsZ and cell division?

Explanation / Answer

Temperature sensitive mutations are invaluable tools in studying the role of essential genes. These mutants can grow only in a particular range of temperature (permissive temperature) beyond which they behave has loss of function mutants. Most of these mutations are substitution mutations at the interphase. These junction amino acids allow proper protein folding under certain temperatures beyond which the protein does not fold to its native state.

Min C codes for a septum site-determining protein which is required to generate pole oscillations prior to bacterial cell division. Combined actions of MinCDJ proteins prevent FtsZ ring formation. So, we can regulate the formation of FtsZ ring using temperature sensitive mutants of MinC.