DNA-membrane interactions can localize bacterial cell center.
In actively growing bacterial cells, the DNA exerts stress on the membrane, in addition to the turgor caused by osmotic pressure. This stress is applied through coupled transcription/translation and insertion of membrane proteins (so-called "transertion" process). In bacillary bacteria, the strength of this interaction varies along cell length with a minimum at its midpoint, and hence can locate the cell's equator for the assembly of the FtsZ-ring.
Rabinovitch
Avinoam
A
Departments of Physics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box. 653, 84105 Be'er-Sheva, Israel. avinoam@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Zaritsky
Arieh
A
Feingold
Mario
M
D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological
D004269:DNA, Bacterial