A metabolic sensor governing cell size in bacteria.
Nutrient availability is one of the strongest determinants of cell size. When grown in rich media, single-celled organisms such as yeast and bacteria can be up to twice the size of their slow-growing counterparts. The ability to modulate size in a nutrient-dependent manner requires cells to: (1) detect when they have reached the appropriate mass for a given growth rate and (2) transmit this information to the division apparatus. We report the identification of a metabolic sensor that couples nutritional availability to division in Bacillus subtilis. A key component of this sensor is an effector, UgtP, which localizes to the division site in a nutrient-dependent manner and inhibits assembly of the tubulin-like cell division protein FtsZ. This sensor serves to maintain a constant ratio of FtsZ rings to cell length regardless of growth rate and ensures that cells reach the appropriate mass and complete chromosome segregation prior to cytokinesis.
Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Richard B
RB
Weart
Amy H
AH
Lee
An-Chun
AC
Chien
Daniel P
DP
Haeusser
Norbert S
NS
Hill
Petra Anne
PA
Levin
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020090:Chromosome Segregation / Q000235:genetics; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004261:DNA Replication; D005502:Food; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D021381:Protein Transport; D014532:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose / Q000096:biosynthesis
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C071525:FtsZ protein, Bacteria; D014532:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose