Short FtsZ filaments can drive asymmetric cell envelope constriction at the onset of bacterial cytokinesis.

ABSTRACT: FtsZ, the bacterial homologue of eukaryotic tubulin, plays a central role in cell division in nearly all bacteria and many archaea. It forms filaments under the cytoplasmic membrane at the division site where, together with other proteins it recruits, it drives peptidoglycan synthesis and constricts the cell. Despite extensive study, the arrangement of FtsZ filaments and their role in division continue to be debated. Here, we apply electron cryotomography to image the native structure of intact dividing cells and show that constriction in a variety of Gram-negative bacterial cells, including Proteus mirabilis and Caulobacter crescentus, initiates asymmetrically, accompanied by asymmetric peptidoglycan incorporation and short FtsZ-like filament formation. These results show th

SUBMITTER: Yao Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5452018 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature