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Related Concept Videos

Polarity of the Cytoskeleton01:18

Polarity of the Cytoskeleton

The intrinsic polarity of cells can be primarily attributed to two factors- i) the asymmetric accumulation of mobile components such are regulatory molecules and subcellular components across the cell and ii) the orientation of polar cytoskeletal filaments that make up the cytoskeletal networks, specifically microfilaments, and microtubules arranged along the axis of polarity. Interactions between the cytoskeletal filaments are crucial for the establishment and maintenance of the polar nature...
Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins01:21

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins

Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular and membrane components, making one side of the cell different from the other. This polarity is essential to many processes such as embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. A migrating cell responds to intracellular or extracellular signals via molecular cascades that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton to establish this polarity. In these cells, the Rho family proteins Cdc42,...
Prokaryotic Cells01:51

Prokaryotic Cells

Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains—Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common organisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins. However,...
Prokaryotic Cells01:28

Prokaryotic Cells

Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains — Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common microorganisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins.
Prokaryotic cells01:51

Prokaryotic cells

Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains—Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common organisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins. However,...
Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

The C. elegans Intestine As a Model for Intercellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis at the Single-cell Level: Labeling by Antibody Staining, RNAi Loss-of-function Analysis and Imaging
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The C. elegans Intestine As a Model for Intercellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis at the Single-cell Level: Labeling by Antibody Staining, RNAi Loss-of-function Analysis and Imaging

Published on: October 3, 2017

Cellular polarity in prokaryotic organisms.

Jonathan Dworkin1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York 10032, USA. jonathan.dworkin@columbia.edu

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
|May 12, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Bacteria exhibit surprising intracellular organization, with proteins localizing to specific cell poles. This asymmetry, driven by chromosomal factors and cell division, is crucial for bacterial development and morphological changes.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Historically, bacteria were viewed as simple "bags of enzymes" lacking internal structure.
  • Visual inspection revealed asymmetric structures like flagella at single bacterial cell poles.
  • Recent discoveries show specific protein localization, indicating significant intracellular organization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore how chromosomal asymmetry influences protein localization patterns in bacteria.
  • To investigate the role of "new" and "old" cell poles in establishing bipolar and monopolar protein distribution.
  • To highlight the importance of breaking monopolar symmetry for bacterial development.

Main Methods:

  • Focus on Caulobacter crescentus and Bacillus subtilis, known for dramatic morphological transformations.

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In Vitro Reconstitution of Self-Organizing Protein Patterns on Supported Lipid Bilayers
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Induction of Cellular Differentiation and Single Cell Imaging of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Swimmer and Swarmer Cells

Published on: May 15, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 13, 2026

The C. elegans Intestine As a Model for Intercellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis at the Single-cell Level: Labeling by Antibody Staining, RNAi Loss-of-function Analysis and Imaging
12:15

The C. elegans Intestine As a Model for Intercellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis at the Single-cell Level: Labeling by Antibody Staining, RNAi Loss-of-function Analysis and Imaging

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08:10

In Vitro Reconstitution of Self-Organizing Protein Patterns on Supported Lipid Bilayers

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Induction of Cellular Differentiation and Single Cell Imaging of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Swimmer and Swarmer Cells
08:38

Induction of Cellular Differentiation and Single Cell Imaging of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Swimmer and Swarmer Cells

Published on: May 15, 2017

  • Analysis of protein localization patterns using GFP-tagged proteins.
  • Examination of chromosomal asymmetry and cell division (cytokinesis) in rod-shaped bacteria.

    • Main Results:

    • Demonstrated that bacteria possess a high degree of intracellular organization.
    • Identified chromosomal asymmetry and cell pole age as key factors in protein localization.
    • Observed specific monopolar and bipolar protein localization patterns.

    Conclusions:

    • Bacterial cells are highly organized, challenging the "bag of enzymes" model.
    • Asymmetric distribution of cellular components is fundamental to bacterial cell biology.
    • Breaking monopolar symmetry is essential for the correct development and morphological changes in bacteria like Caulobacter crescentus and Bacillus subtilis.