Figure 5.

Chromosomal DNA is actively translocated into the small round cells. (A) B. subtilis cells expressing DNA translocase SpoIIIE fused to YFP. White triangles indicate SpoIIIE-YFP focus at the asymmetric septum. White asterisks indicate few cases where bipolar asymmetric septa persist and generate two small round cells from a single cell. Black triangles indicate small round cells without DNA lacking SpoIIIE-YFP foci at their septa. (B) spoIIIE mutant cells showing an increased number of small round cells without DNA (white triangles). Black triangles indicate small round cells apparently containing only residual amounts of DNA. (C) Cells bearing null mutations in both spoIIIE and sftA are unable to generate small round cells. Gray lines show the contour of the cells. Scale bars 2 μm.