title: Min-oscillations in Escherichia coli induced by interactions of membrane-bound proteins.
abstract: During division it is of primary importance for a cell to correctly determine the site of cleavage. The bacterium Escherichia coli divides in the center, producing two daughter cells of equal size. Selection of the center as the correct division site is in part achieved by the Min-proteins. They oscillate between the two cell poles and thereby prevent division at these locations. Here, a phenomenological description of these oscillations is presented, where lateral interactions between proteins on the cell membrane play a key role. Solutions to the dynamic equations are compared to experimental findings. In particular, the temporal period of the oscillations is measured as a function of the cell length and found to be compatible with the theoretical prediction.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme, Nöthnitzerstr. 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meacci
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kruse
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001665:Binding Sites; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009991:Oscillometry; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D049490:Systems Biology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C093548:MinE protein, E coli; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C072069:MinD protein, E coli