Spatial regulation of cytokinesis in bacteria.
Cytokinesis in bacteria such as Escherichia coli is orchestrated by FtsZ, a tubulin-like protein that forms a circumferential Z ring at the division site. The Z ring then recruits a number of other essential cell division proteins, ultimately assembling the cytokinetic machine that splits the cell. It has been known for some time that the MinCDE proteins and the bacterial nucleoid provide positional information to negatively regulate cytokinesis. Recently, direct visualization of Z rings and Min proteins in whole cells have contributed important new insights into the molecular mechanisms behind this fundamental cellular process. This review summarizes and integrates these insights.
Margolin
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Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA. William.Margolin@uth.tmc.edu
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008958:Models, Molecular
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C071525:FtsZ protein, Bacteria; C080466:MinC protein, Bacteria; C093548:MinE protein, E coli; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C072069:MinD protein, E coli