Fig. 6.

The bacterial cell wall is a composite material. Cytoskeletal filaments such as MreB adhere to the cell wall. If the intrinsic radius of curvature of MreB, R₀, is less than the cell radius, R, ∼500 nm, then the cell wall will experience a force. Due to the dynamic nature of MreB filaments, this force is best modeled as an inward pressure (80). This pressure, in turn, can regulate the growth dynamics of the cell wall. This mechanism can potentially explain the role of filaments such as MreB and crescentin in maintaining the cell shape.