title: Characterization of divIVA and other genes located in the chromosomal region downstream of the dcw cluster in Streptococcus pneumoniae.
abstract: We analyzed the chromosome region of Streptococcus pneumoniae located downstream of the division and cell wall (dcw) cluster that contains the homolog of the Bacillus subtilis cell division gene divIVA and some genes of unknown function. Inactivation of divIVA in S. pneumoniae resulted in severe growth inhibition and defects in cell shape, nucleoid segregation, and cell division. Inactivation of the ylm genes resulted in some morphological and/or division abnormalities, depending on the inactivated gene. Transcriptional analysis revealed a relationship between these genes and the ftsA and ftsZ cell division genes, also indicating that the connection between the dcw cluster and the divIVA region is more extensive than just chromosomal position and gene organization.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche Sez. Microbiologia, Università di Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fadda
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pischedda
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caldara
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Whalen
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anderluzzi
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Domenici
authors.forename: Orietta
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Massidda
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000235:genetics*; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D005810:Multigene Family; D009154:Mutation; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C104636:DivIVA protein, bacteria