The Min proteins are equally partitioned between daughter cells at division.The mechanism allowing this accurate distribution is intrinsic to the Min system.Individual oscillations appear in each daughter cell before cytokinesis is completed.Diffusion through the gradually constricting septum is key to this process

Di Ventura, Barbara

Sourjik, Victor

Molecular Systems Biology

English

PubMed

Barbara Di Ventura

Victor Sourjik

Crossref

Self‐organized partitioning of dynamically localized proteins in bacterial cell division

How cells manage to get equal distribution of their structures and molecules at cell division is a crucial issue in biology. In principle, a feedback mechanism could always ensure equality by measuring and correcting the distribution in the progeny. However, an elegant alternative could be a mechanism relying on self-organization, with the interplay between system properties and cell geometry leading to the emergence of equal partitioning. The problem is exemplified by the bacterial Min system that defines the division site by oscillating from pole to pole. Unequal partitioning of Min proteins at division could negatively impact system performance and cell growth because of loss of Min oscillations and imprecise mid-cell determination. In this study, we combine live cell and computational analyses to show that known properties of the Min system together with the gradual reduction of protein exchange through the constricting septum are sufficient to explain the observed highly precise spontaneous protein partitioning. Our findings reveal a novel and effective mechanism of protein partitioning in dividing cells and emphasize the importance of self-organization in basic cellular processes

Di Ventura, B.

Sourjik, V.

MPG.PuRe

Self-organized partitioning of dynamically localized proteins in bacterial cell division

Collaborative signaling by mixed chemoreceptor teams in Escherichia coli.

Rapid pole-to-pole oscillation of a protein required for directing division to the middle of Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96: 4971–4976 Reshes

Topological regulation of cell division in Escherichia coli involves rapid pole to pole oscillation of the division inhibitor MinC under the control of MinD and MinE. Mol Microbiol 34: 82–90 Huang

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=3049411

Self-organized partitioning of dynamically localized proteins in bacterial cell division

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