Cytokinesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes: common principles and different solutions

Cytokinesis is a fundamental process in cell division, yet the mechanisms differ between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. While both groups require duplication of cellular structures and bipolarization of the predivisional cell, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood in comparative terms. Prior research has shown that eukaryotic cytokinesis involves a complex interplay of the cytoskeleton and microtubule-organizing centers. However, the role of these structures in prokaryotic division remains unclear. No prior work had resolved whether the absence of a cytoskeleton in prokaryotes affects DNA segregation or cytokinesis. That uncertainty drove the need to compare the mechanisms across domains of life. This gap motivated the investigation into whether the principles of cytokinesis are conserved or divergent. The researchers propose that the absence of a cytoskeleton in prokaryotes may indicate a fundamentally different approach to division. Understanding these differences could clarify the evolutionary divergence in cellular mechanisms.

The aim of this study is to compare the mechanisms of cytokinesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The researchers focus on the structural and functional differences between the two groups. They examine whether the duplication of DNA and the formation of a bipolar cell are sufficient for division in both domains. The study investigates the role of the cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cytokinesis and its absence in prokaryotes. The researchers propose that the lack of a cytoskeleton in prokaryotes may suggest a different mechanism for DNA segregation. They examine whether the contracting ring in prokaryotes serves a similar function to the actin-based structures in eukaryotes. The study also explores the evolutionary implications of these differences. The researchers suggest that the comparison may reveal conserved principles or divergent solutions to a shared problem.

The study uses a comparative approach to analyze cytokinesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The researchers focus on model organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe for eukaryotic examples. They also examine Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis as prokaryotic models. The analysis includes a review of existing literature on DNA replication and segregation mechanisms. The researchers compare the role of the cytoskeleton in both groups. They investigate the structure and function of the contracting ring in prokaryotes. The study also examines the presence of actin and tubulin homologs in prokaryotic rings. The researchers propose that the absence of a cytoskeleton in prokaryotes may indicate a different mechanism for cell division.

The study reveals that prokaryotic cytokinesis involves a contracting ring with a much smaller circumference than in eukaryotes. The ring contains proteins that resemble actin and tubulin but has a different macromolecular composition. The researchers found that DNA segregation in prokaryotes occurs without extensive cytosolic assemblies. The study shows that the elongating cellular envelope plays a role in DNA segregation. The researchers observed that the absence of a cytoskeleton in prokaryotes does not prevent division. The study indicates that the contracting ring is essential for cytokinesis in prokaryotes. The researchers propose that the ring may have evolved from ancestral actin-like proteins. The findings suggest that the mechanisms of cytokinesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes are fundamentally different.

The researchers conclude that cytokinesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes follows a common principle of duplication and bipolarization. However, the mechanisms differ significantly between the two groups. The study suggests that the absence of a cytoskeleton in prokaryotes does not hinder division. The researchers propose that the contracting ring in prokaryotes may have evolved independently of eukaryotic structures. The findings indicate that DNA segregation in prokaryotes occurs without the need for a cytoskeleton. The study highlights the importance of the cellular envelope in prokaryotic division. The researchers suggest that the differences in cytokinesis may reflect evolutionary divergence. The study concludes that the mechanisms of cytokinesis are not conserved but have divergent solutions.