title: Caulobacter crescentus intrinsic dimorphism provides a prompt bimodal response to copper stress.
abstract: Stress response to fluctuating environments often implies a time-consuming reprogramming of gene expression. In bacteria, the so-called bet hedging strategy, which promotes phenotypic stochasticity within a cell population, is the only fast stress response described so far(1). Here, we show that Caulobacter crescentus asymmetrical cell division allows an immediate bimodal response to a toxic metals-rich environment by allocating specific defence strategies to morphologically and functionally distinct siblings. In this context, a motile swarmer cell favours negative chemotaxis to flee from a copper source, whereas a sessile stalked sibling engages a ready-to-use PcoAB copper homeostasis system, providing evidence of a prompt stress response through intrinsic bacterial dimorphism.
authors: Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Micro-organismes, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Emeline
authors: E
authors: Lawarée
authors: Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Micro-organismes, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Sébastien
authors: S
authors: Gillet
authors: Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Micro-organismes, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Gwennaëlle
authors: G
authors: Louis
authors: Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Micro-organismes, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Françoise
authors: F
authors: Tilquin
authors: Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Micro-organismes, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Le Blastier
authors: Unité de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Cambier
authors: Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Micro-organismes, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Jean-Yves
authors: JY
authors: Matroule
mesh_terms: D060049:Asymmetric Cell Division; D016935:Caulobacter crescentus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D002633:Chemotaxis; D003300:Copper / Q000633:toxicity*; D006706:Homeostasis; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D003300:Copper