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Abstract

Bactofilins are a widespread family of cytoskeletal proteins with important roles in bacterial morphogenesis, chromosome organization and motility. They polymerize in a nucleotide-independent manner, forming non-polar filaments that are typically associated with the cytoplasmic membrane. Membrane binding was suggested to be mediated by a short N-terminal peptide, but the underlying mechanism and the conservation of this interaction determinant among bacteria remain unclear. Here, we use the bactofilin homolog BacA of the stalked bacterium Caulobacter crescentus as a model to analyze the membrane-binding behavior of bactofilins. Based on site-directed mutagenesis of the N-terminal region, we identify the full membrane-targeting sequence of BacA (MFSKQAKS) and identify amino acid residues that are critical for its function in vivo and in vitro. Molecular dynamics simulations then provide detailed insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the membrane affinity of this peptide. Collectively these analyses reveal a delicate interplay between the water exclusion of hydrophobic N-terminal residues, the arrangement of the peptide within the membrane and the electrostatic attraction between positively charged groups in the peptide and negative charges in the phospholipid molecules. A comprehensive bioinformatic analysis shows that the composition and properties of the membrane-targeting sequence of BacA are conserved in numerous bactofilin homologs from diverse bacterial phyla. Notably, our findings reveal a mutual interdependence between the membrane binding and polymerization activities of BacA. Moreover, we demonstrate that both of these activities have a pivotal role in the recruitment of the BacA client protein PbpC, a membrane-bound cell wall synthase involved in stalk formation whose N-terminal region turns out to associate with the core polymerization domain of BacA. Together, these results unravel the mechanistic underpinnings of membrane binding by bactofilin homologs, thereby illuminating a previously obscure but important aspect in the biology of this cytoskeletal protein family.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.