Molecular basis for curvature formation in SepF polymerization.
Liu, W., Zhang, C., Zhang, H., Ma, S., Deng, J., Wang, D., Chang, Z., Yang, J.(2024) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 121: e2316922121-e2316922121
- PubMed: 38381790 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2316922121
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
8HZQ, 8HZT - PubMed Abstract: 
The self-assembly of proteins into curved structures plays an important role in many cellular processes. One good example of this phenomenon is observed in the septum-forming protein (SepF), which forms polymerized structures with uniform curvatures. SepF is essential for regulating the thickness of the septum during bacteria cell division. In Bacillus subtilis , SepF polymerization involves two distinct interfaces, the β-β and α-α interfaces, which define the assembly unit and contact interfaces, respectively. However, the mechanism of curvature formation in this step is not yet fully understood. In this study, we employed solid-state NMR (SSNMR) to compare the structures of cyclic wild-type SepF assemblies with linear assemblies resulting from a mutation of G137 on the β-β interface. Our results demonstrate that while the sequence differences arise from the internal assembly unit, the dramatic changes in the shape of the assemblies depend on the α-α interface between the units. We further provide atomic-level insights into how the angular variation of the α2 helix on the α-α interface affects the curvature of the assemblies, using a combination of SSNMR, cryo-electron microscopy, and simulation methods. Our findings shed light on the shape control of protein assemblies and emphasize the importance of interhelical contacts in retaining curvature.
Organizational Affiliation: 
National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, People's Republic of China.