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Bacterial shape: growing off this mortal coil
1Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA. William.Margolin@uth.tmc.edu
Current Biology : CB
|September 19, 2003
Abstract:
Members of the actin-like MreB family of proteins localize as a helical filament in bacteria and are important for determining cylindrical cell shape. Recent results show that new cell wall biosynthesis occurs along a helical track dependent on one of these actin homologs, providing new insights into bacterial cell growth, division and shape.