Skip to main content
. 2014 Mar 18;111(13):E1192–E1200. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1317764111

Fig. 4.

Fig. 4.

Schematic showing the FtsZ filament bundles and their interaction with NZ and MinC. FtsZ bundles assemble by (i) longitudinal annealing and (ii) lateral interactions. In steady state, the FtsZ bundles constantly exchange subunits with the solution as a result of GTP hydrolysis. This results in stochastic exposing of the (−) ends. About 50% of the subunits in the bundle lattice are bound to GDP. NZ binds to the (−) ends of the filaments. NZ can sequester monomers in the solution (iii), and it can cap the filament (−) ends in the bundles (iv). MinC also binds to the (−) end of the FtsZ filaments through the N-terminal, capping and preventing annealing (v). MinC also interacts with the C-terminal of FtsZ through its C-terminal. MinC can bind to exposed (−) ends in the filaments caused by a leaving FtsZ subunit. Once bound to FtsZ, MinC remains bound until the subunit leaves, frustrating lateral interactions with incoming FtsZ subunits or FtsZ fragments (vi). The net action of MinC also results in a release of FtsZ-GDP subunits trapped in the filament lattice, resulting in a concentration-dependent increase in the rate of depolymerization.