It is interesting that a protein involved in homologous recombination and a protein involved in cell wall synthesis, two biochemically independent processes, are part of the same operon. Importantly, this genetic organization is conserved in other gram-positive bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae[21] and B. subtilis[22]. During cell division, the processes of chromosome replication and septum synthesis have

to be tightly coordinated to avoid Selleck DMXAA the disastrous consequences of DNA guillotining by a septum forming over the DNA. Since PBP2 is required for septum synthesis and RecU is apparently involved in chromosome segregation, we wondered if the regulation of this operon could constitute a possible checkpoint for cell division coordination in S. aureus. Here we show that recU absence causes cell growth defects due to an inability of the mutant to repair damaged DNA and to properly segregate the chromosomes. Selleckchem MRT67307 We also show that co-expression of recU and pbp2 from the same operon is not required for normal cell division. Methods Bacterial strains and growth conditions All strains and plasmids used in this study are listed in Table  1 and primer sequences

are listed in Table  2. S. aureus strains were grown in tryptic soy broth (TSB, Difco) or on tryptic soy agar (TSA, Difco) at 37°C with aeration. The medium was supplemented when required with appropriate antibiotics (erythromycin 10 μg/ml, chloramphenicol 10 μg/ml), with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl Carnitine palmitoyltransferase II β-D-galactopyranoside 100 μg/ml (X-Gal; BDH Prolabo) or with isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside 0.5 mM (IPTG; VWR). Table 1 Strains and plasmids

used in this study Strain/Plasmid Relevant characteristics Source/ Reference E. coli     DH5α Cloning strain, recA endA1 gyrA96 thi-1 hsdR17 supE44 relA1 ϕφ80 ΔlacZΔM15 Gibco-BRL S. aureus     NCTC8325-4 MSSA strain R. Novick BCBHV008 NCTC8325-4Δspa::P spac -MCS-lacI lacI mc, Cmr [23] 8325-4ΔrecU NCTC8325-4 recU mutant lacking initial 165 codons This study 8325-4recUspaL NCTC8325-4 Δspa::P spac -recU-lacI This study BCBRP001 NCTC8325-4 ΔrecU Δspa::P spac -recU-lacI This study 8325-4recUi NCTC8325-4 ΔrecU Δspa::P spac -recU-lacI lacI mc, Cmr This study BCBHV017 BCBHV008 strain expressing spoIIIE-yfp from the native chromosomal locus, Cmr This study Go6983 order BCBRP002 8325-4recUi mutant strain expressing spoIIIE-yfp, Cmr This study Plasmids     pMAD E. coli – S.