High-affinity binding of hemimethylated oriC by Escherichia coli membranes is mediated by a multiprotein system that includes SeqA and a newly identified factor, SeqB.

The binding of hemimethylated oriC to Escherichia coli membranes has been implicated in the prevention of premature reinitiation at newly replicated chromosomal origins in a reaction that involves the SeqA protein. We describe the resolution of the membrane-associated oriC-binding activity into two fractions, both of which are required for the high-affinity binding of hemimethylated oriC. The active component in one fraction is identified as SeqA. The active component of the second fraction is a previously undescribed protein factor, SeqB. The reconstituted system reproduced the salient characteristics of the membrane-associated binding activity, suggesting that the membrane-associated oriC-binding machinery of E. coli is likely to be a multiprotein system that includes the SeqA and SeqB proteins.