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Three-dimensional Imaging of Bacterial Cells for Accurate Cellular Representations and Precise Protein Localization

Three-dimensional Imaging of Bacterial Cells for Accurate Cellular Representations and Precise Protein Localization

Published on: October 29, 2019

Sculpting the bacterial cell.

William Margolin¹

¹Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA. william.margolin@uth.tmc.edu

Current Biology : CB

|November 13, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Prokaryotic cell shape is determined by cytoskeletal proteins like MreB and FtsZ, which guide cell wall growth and division. These systems explain the diverse morphologies observed in bacteria, from rods to spheres.

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Cell Biology
Biophysics

Background:

Prokaryotic cell morphology is diverse and influenced by genetic and physical factors.
Bacterial cells serve as simple models for understanding gene-protein-morphology relationships.
Cytoskeletal elements are increasingly recognized as key regulators of bacterial shape.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the mechanisms underlying prokaryotic cell shape determination.
To highlight the roles of bacterial cytoskeletal proteins in cell wall synthesis and division.
To compare bacterial shape regulation with plant cell growth.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on bacterial cytoskeleton and cell morphology.
Analysis of the functions of MreB and FtsZ proteins in bacterial growth.
Comparison of shape determination mechanisms across different bacterial types (e.g., bacilli, cocci).

Main Results:

Actin (MreB) and tubulin (FtsZ) homologs form cytoskeletal filaments that direct bacterial cell wall growth and division.
MreB orchestrates elongation in rod-shaped bacteria, while FtsZ directs septum formation for division.
Loss of MreB in cocci leads to growth primarily through the division septum, resulting in spherical shapes.
Distinct cytoskeletal systems are employed by bacteria lacking MreB or cell walls.

Conclusions:

Bacterial shape is actively controlled by specific cytoskeletal proteins and their interaction with cell wall synthesis machinery.
The interplay between MreB and FtsZ explains the common cylindrical and spherical morphologies in bacteria.
Understanding these mechanisms provides insights into fundamental principles of cell shape determination across life forms.