Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1985 Aug;163(2):615–622. doi: 10.1128/jb.163.2.615-622.1985

Cell shape and division in Escherichia coli: experiments with shape and division mutants.

K J Begg, W D Donachie
PMCID: PMC219166  PMID: 3894330

Abstract

Double mutants which carry mutations in genes (rodA, pbpA) required for cell elongation (i.e., maintenance of rod shape) in combination with mutations in genes (ftsA, ftsI, ftsQ, or ftsZ) required for septation were constructed. Such mutants were able to grow for about two mass doublings at a normal rate at the restrictive temperature (42 degrees C). The morphology of the cells formed under these conditions was interpreted by assuming the existence of a generalized system for peptidoglycan growth together with two additional systems which modify the shape of the growing peptidoglycan layer. The results also showed that different fts genes probably control different stages in septation. ftsZ (sulB or sfiB) appears to be required for the earliest step in septation, ftsQ and ftsI (pbpB or sep) are required for a later step or steps, and ftsA is required only for the latest stages in septation.

Full text

PDF
616

Images in this article

616Image
on p.616
617Image
on p.617
618Image
on p.618
619Image
on p.619
619Image
on p.619
620Image
on p.620

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bachmann B. J. Linkage map of Escherichia coli K-12, edition 7. Microbiol Rev. 1983 Jun;47(2):180–230. doi: 10.1128/mr.47.2.180-230.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Begg K. J., Hatfull G. F., Donachie W. D. Identification of new genes in a cell envelope-cell division gene cluster of Escherichia coli: cell division gene ftsQ. J Bacteriol. 1980 Oct;144(1):435–437. doi: 10.1128/jb.144.1.435-437.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. COETZEE J. N. Sucrose fermentation by Proteus hauseri. J Gen Microbiol. 1962 Nov;29:455–472. doi: 10.1099/00221287-29-3-455. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cullum J., Vicente M. Cell growth and length distribution in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1978 Apr;134(1):330–337. doi: 10.1128/jb.134.1.330-337.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Davie E., Sydnor K., Rothfield L. I. Genetic basis of minicell formation in Escherichia coli K-12. J Bacteriol. 1984 Jun;158(3):1202–1203. doi: 10.1128/jb.158.3.1202-1203.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Donachie W. D., Begg K. J., Lutkenhaus J. F., Salmond G. P., Martinez-Salas E., Vincente M. Role of the ftsA gene product in control of Escherichia coli cell division. J Bacteriol. 1979 Nov;140(2):388–394. doi: 10.1128/jb.140.2.388-394.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Donachie W. D., Begg K. J., Vicente M. Cell length, cell growth and cell division. Nature. 1976 Nov 25;264(5584):328–333. doi: 10.1038/264328a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fletcher G., Irwin C. A., Henson J. M., Fillingim C., Malone M. M., Walker J. R. Identification of the Escherichia coli cell division gene sep and organization of the cell division-cell envelope genes in the sep-mur-ftsA-envA cluster as determined with specialized transducing lambda bacteriophages. J Bacteriol. 1978 Jan;133(1):91–100. doi: 10.1128/jb.133.1.91-100.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Henning U., Rehn K., Hoehn B. Cell envelope and shape of Escherichia coli K12. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973 Jul;70(7):2033–2036. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.7.2033. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Higgins M. L., Shockman G. D. Procaryotic cell division with respect to wall and membranes. CRC Crit Rev Microbiol. 1971 May;1(1):29–72. doi: 10.3109/10408417109104477. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ishino F., Matsuhashi M. Peptidoglycan synthetic enzyme activities of highly purified penicillin-binding protein 3 in Escherichia coli: a septum-forming reaction sequence. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1981 Aug 14;101(3):905–911. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(81)91835-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Ishino F., Tamaki S., Spratt B. G., Matsuhashi M. A mecillinam-sensitive peptidoglycan crosslinking reaction in Escherichia coli. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1982 Dec 15;109(3):689–696. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(82)91995-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Iwaya M., Goldman R., Tipper D. J., Feingold B., Strominger J. L. Morphology of an Escherichia coli mutant with a temperature-dependent round cell shape. J Bacteriol. 1978 Dec;136(3):1143–1158. doi: 10.1128/jb.136.3.1143-1158.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Little J. W., Mount D. W. The SOS regulatory system of Escherichia coli. Cell. 1982 May;29(1):11–22. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(82)90085-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lutkenhaus J. F. Coupling of DNA replication and cell division: sulB is an allele of ftsZ. J Bacteriol. 1983 Jun;154(3):1339–1346. doi: 10.1128/jb.154.3.1339-1346.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Marr A. G., Harvey R. J., Trentini W. C. Growth and division of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1966 Jun;91(6):2388–2389. doi: 10.1128/jb.91.6.2388-2389.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Matsuzawa H., Hayakawa K., Sato T., Imahori K. Characterization and genetic analysis of a mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 with rounded morphology. J Bacteriol. 1973 Jul;115(1):436–442. doi: 10.1128/jb.115.1.436-442.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Normark S., Boman H. G., Bloom G. D. Cell division in a chain-forming envA mutant of Escherichia coli K12. Fine structure of division sites and effects of EDTA, lysozyme and ampicillin. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B Microbiol Immunol. 1971;79(5):651–664. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00093.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Robinson A. C., Kenan D. J., Hatfull G. F., Sullivan N. F., Spiegelberg R., Donachie W. D. DNA sequence and transcriptional organization of essential cell division genes ftsQ and ftsA of Escherichia coli: evidence for overlapping transcriptional units. J Bacteriol. 1984 Nov;160(2):546–555. doi: 10.1128/jb.160.2.546-555.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Satta G., Canepari P., Botta G., Fontana R. Control of cell septation by lateral wall extension in a pH-conditional morphology mutant of Klebsiella pneumoniae. J Bacteriol. 1980 Apr;142(1):43–51. doi: 10.1128/jb.142.1.43-51.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Schwarz U., Asmus A., Frank H. Autolytic enzymes and cell division of Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol. 1969 May 14;41(3):419–429. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(69)90285-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Spratt B. G., Boyd A., Stoker N. Defective and plaque-forming lambda transducing bacteriophage carrying penicillin-binding protein-cell shape genes: genetic and physical mapping and identification of gene products from the lip-dacA-rodA-pbpA-leuS region of the Escherichia coli chromosome. J Bacteriol. 1980 Aug;143(2):569–581. doi: 10.1128/jb.143.2.569-581.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Spratt B. G. Distinct penicillin binding proteins involved in the division, elongation, and shape of Escherichia coli K12. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Aug;72(8):2999–3003. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.8.2999. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Sullivan N. F., Donachie W. D. Overlapping functional units in a cell division gene cluster in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1984 Jun;158(3):1198–1201. doi: 10.1128/jb.158.3.1198-1201.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Tamaki S., Matsuzawa H., Matsuhashi M. Cluster of mrdA and mrdB genes responsible for the rod shape and mecillinam sensitivity of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1980 Jan;141(1):52–57. doi: 10.1128/jb.141.1.52-57.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Teather R. M., Collins J. F., Donachie W. D. Quantal behavior of a diffusible factor which initiates septum formation at potential division sites in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1974 May;118(2):407–413. doi: 10.1128/jb.118.2.407-413.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Trueba F. J., Woldringh C. L. Changes in cell diameter during the division cycle of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1980 Jun;142(3):869–878. doi: 10.1128/jb.142.3.869-878.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Walker J. R., Kovarik A., Allen J. S., Gustafson R. A. Regulation of bacterial cell division: temperature-sensitive mutants of Escherichia coli that are defective in septum formation. J Bacteriol. 1975 Aug;123(2):693–703. doi: 10.1128/jb.123.2.693-703.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Wolf-Watz H., Normark S. Evidence for a role of N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase in septum separation in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1976 Nov;128(2):580–586. doi: 10.1128/jb.128.2.580-586.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES