TY - JOUR
T1 - DNA transport into Bacillus subtilis requires proton motive force to generate large molecular forces
AU - Maier, Berenike
AU - Chen, Ines
AU - Dubnau, David
AU - Sheetz, Michael P.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank J. Hahn for strain BD3773 and invaluable discussions. The project was supported by grant GM3677 and D.D. by grant GM43756. B.M. acknowledges support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Emmy Noether Programm).
PY - 2004/7
Y1 - 2004/7
N2 - Bacteria can acquire genetic diversity, including antibiotic resistance and virulence traits, by horizontal gene transfer. In particular, many bacteria are naturally competent for uptake of naked DNA from the environment in a process called transformation. Here, we used optical tweezers to demonstrate that the DNA transport machinery in Bacillus subtilis is a force-generating motor. Single DNA molecules were processively transported in a linear fashion without observable pausing events. Uncouplers inhibited DNA uptake immediately, suggesting that the transmembrane proton motive force is needed for DNA translocation. We found an uptake rate of 80 ± 10 bp s-1 that was force-independent at external forces <40 pN, indicating that a powerful molecular machine supports DNA transport.
AB - Bacteria can acquire genetic diversity, including antibiotic resistance and virulence traits, by horizontal gene transfer. In particular, many bacteria are naturally competent for uptake of naked DNA from the environment in a process called transformation. Here, we used optical tweezers to demonstrate that the DNA transport machinery in Bacillus subtilis is a force-generating motor. Single DNA molecules were processively transported in a linear fashion without observable pausing events. Uncouplers inhibited DNA uptake immediately, suggesting that the transmembrane proton motive force is needed for DNA translocation. We found an uptake rate of 80 ± 10 bp s-1 that was force-independent at external forces <40 pN, indicating that a powerful molecular machine supports DNA transport.
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U2 - 10.1038/nsmb783
DO - 10.1038/nsmb783
M3 - Article
C2 - 15184891
AN - SCOPUS:3042555855
SN - 1545-9993
VL - 11
SP - 643
EP - 649
JO - Nature Structural and Molecular Biology
JF - Nature Structural and Molecular Biology
IS - 7
ER -