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Monitoring Intraspecies Competition in a Bacterial Cell Population by Cocultivation of Fluorescently Labelled Strains
Published on: January 18, 2014
Polarity and the diversity of growth mechanisms in bacteria
Pamela J B Brown1, David T Kysela, Yves V Brun
1Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States.
Abstract:
Bacterial cell growth is a complex process consisting of two distinct phases: cell elongation and septum formation prior to cell division. Although bacteria have evolved several different mechanisms for cell growth, it is clear that tight spatial and temporal regulation of peptidoglycan synthesis is a common theme. In this review, we discuss bacterial cell growth with a particular emphasis on bacteria that utilize tip extension as a mechanism for cell elongation. We describe polar growth among diverse bacteria and consider the advantages and consequences of this mode of cell elongation.
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