Evidence for diffuse growth of the cylindrical portion of the Escherichia coli murein sacculus.
High-resolution autoradiography of thin sections of Escherichia coli cells whose murein was pulse-labeled with [3H]diaminopimelic acid after a period of diaminopimelic acid deprivation indicated that elongation of the murein sacculus occurs by a multisite (diffuse) process. Upon chasing, radioactivity in polar murein was stable, whereas radioactivity in cylindrical murein was reduced, indicating that diffuse intercalation of new murein occurred during cell elongation. Elongation and septation were shown to be overlapping processes.
D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D003960:Diaminopimelic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000378:metabolism*
D010457:Peptidoglycan; D003960:Diaminopimelic Acid