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Mother cell inhibitor of FtsZ This family of proteins is found in bacteria. Family members are approximately 40 amino acids in length. There is a conserved GKAW sequence motif. There is a single completely conserved residue G that may be functionally important. Family members include the Bacillus subtilis cell-division inhibitor, MciZ (mother cell inhibitor of FtsZ) which blocks the assembly of FtsZ. FtsZ (filamentation temperature-sensitive Z) is the bacterial homolog of tubulin. Crystal structure reveals that MciZ binds to the C-terminal polymerization interface of FtsZ, the equivalent of the minus end of tubulin, causing shortening of protofilaments and blocking the assembly of higher-order FtsZ structures. Hence, MciZ provides a capping-based regulatory mechanism for FtsZ.
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