Phage tubulin-like protein

UniProtKB accession:  Q8SDC3

Grouped By:  Matching UniProtKB accession

UniProtKB description:  A tubulin-like GTPase that forms filaments, which are required for positioning viral DNA and capsids in the middle of the host cell for optimal replication. The motor component of a partition system which pushes phage DNA (encased by protein gp105) to the center of the bacterial host cell (PubMed:28813669). Also required for movement of phage capsids to the vicinity of the viral DNA and rotation of the encased viral DNA at midcell (PubMed:28813669). Forms filaments during the lytic phase, which position phage DNA at the center of the bacterial host cell (PubMed:28813669). Filaments have a three-stranded intertwined architecture and form a spindle-like cytoskeleton within the infected cell (PubMed:23528827). Has GTPase activity (Probable). Filaments grow at the plus end and depolymerize at the minus end, a process called treadmilling, and switch from growing in a polar manner to catastrophic depolymerization, i.e. they display dynamic instability, like tubulin (By similarity). In infected host cells the filament ends close to the cell pole are relatively stable, while the other end near the phage DNA is highly dynamic. Both capsid movement and DNA rotation probably require treadmilling (By similarity).