Table 1.

Prokaryotic proteins localizing to sites of membrane curvature.

Protein	Curvature localized to in vivo	Membrane binding motif	Deform liposomes in vitro?	Formation of higher order structures	Primary Function	References
FtsZ	Negative	−	+ when complexed with FtsA* or when fused to a membrane targeting sequence	+	Cytokinesis	[109–111]
FtsA	Negative	Amphipathic helix	+ when complexed with FtsZ	+	Tether FtsZ to the membrane, Z-ring assembly	[111–113]
MreB	Negative and Positive	Amphipathic Helix	+	+	Cell shape maintenance/ cell wall synthesis	[114–117]
CrvA	Low positive to negative	Unknown. Data suggests CrvA localizes in the periplasm	Unknown. Shown to be required for the curved shape of V. cholerae	+	Cell wall insertion, generates cell curvature	[118]
CreS	Positive	−	Unknown. Shown to be required for the curved shape in C. crescentus	+	Cell shape maintenance, surface colonization	[119–122]