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Localizing cell division in spherical Escherichia coli by nucleoid occlusion
Arieh Zaritsky1, Conrad L Woldringh
1Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Be'er-Sheva 84105, Israel. ariehz@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
FEMS Microbiology Letters
|October 14, 2003
Summary
Bacterial cell division protein FtsZ forms rings between segregating nucleoids in Escherichia coli. This spatial arrangement supports the nucleoid occlusion model of cell division, guiding where new cell walls form.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
- Bacterial Cytokinesis
Background:
- Understanding bacterial cell division is crucial for developing new antimicrobial strategies.
- The FtsZ protein is a key component of the bacterial cytoskeleton, essential for forming the division septum.
- The spatial relationship between FtsZ localization and DNA segregation has been a subject of investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatial relationship between FtsZ ring formation and nucleoid segregation in Escherichia coli.
- To determine if FtsZ localization is influenced by the position of segregating chromosomes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Escherichia coli thyA cells, induced to form spheroids with mecillinam.
- Manipulated chromosome replication timing by altering thymine concentration.
- Visualized FtsZ localization using fluorescent FtsZ-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions.
- Observed nucleoids using 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining.
Main Results:
- Fluorescent FtsZ-GFP arcs were observed not to overlap with DAPI-stained nucleoids.
- FtsZ rings were spatially positioned between segregating nucleoids in the modified cells.
Conclusions:
- FtsZ ring deposition occurs in the space between segregating nucleoids.
- The findings are consistent with the nucleoid occlusion model of bacterial cell division.
- This spatial arrangement ensures proper cell division following chromosome segregation.