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Visualization of Germinosomes and the Inner Membrane in Bacillus subtilis Spores
Published on: April 15, 2019
Lipid domains in Bacillus subtilis anucleate cells
Katarína Muchová1, Ján Jamroškovič, Imrich Barák
1Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia. katarina.muchova@savba.sk
Research in Microbiology
|September 25, 2010
Summary
Bacterial lipid spirals, enriched in anionic phospholipids like phosphatidylglycerol, are visualized in Bacillus subtilis. These structures, along with the cell division protein MinD, persist even when DNA replication is inhibited.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Bacterial membranes exhibit functional lipid domains.
- Spiral lipid structures along the cell axis have been recently detected.
- These spirals are linked to anionic phospholipids and the cell division protein MinD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and stability of lipid domains in Bacillus subtilis with inhibited DNA replication.
- To determine if lipid spiral formation is dependent on active DNA replication.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing fluorescent dyes FM4-64 and NAO for lipid domain visualization.
- Observing lipid structures in Bacillus subtilis strains with inhibited DNA replication.
Main Results:
- Lipid domains, similar to wild-type cells, were observed in Bacillus subtilis with inhibited DNA replication.
- The formation or stability of these lipid domains is not significantly affected by DNA replication inhibition.
- Spiral structures formed by GFP-MinD were also present in these inhibited cells.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial lipid domain formation is robust and potentially independent of active DNA replication.
- Established lipid structures and associated proteins like MinD are stable under replication stress.
- Anionic phospholipids likely play a key role in bacterial cell division and membrane organization.
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