Chromosome segregation drives division site selection in <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>.

ABSTRACT: Accurate spatial and temporal positioning of the tubulin-like protein FtsZ is key for proper bacterial cell division. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is an oval-shaped, symmetrically dividing opportunistic human pathogen lacking the canonical systems for division site control (nucleoid occlusion and the Min-system). Recently, the early division protein MapZ was identified and implicated in pneumococcal division site selection. We show that MapZ is important for proper division plane selection; thus, the question remains as to what drives pneumococcal division site selection. By mapping the cell cycle in detail, we show that directly after replication both chromosomal origin regions localize to the future cell division sites, before FtsZ. Interestingly, Z-ring formation occur

SUBMITTER: van Raaphorst R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5530652 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature