Figure 3.

Placement of the division site integrates positional information from the poles and the chromosomes. (A) In Caulobacter, the MipZ complex is localized at the old pole and FtsZ is observed at the new pole. Upon segregation of parS, MipZ becomes bipolar, displacing FtsZ from the pole and targeting it to mid cell. (B) In E. coli, MinCD oscillates from pole to pole driven by MinE (which moves in the direction of the purple arrows). Additionally, SlmA on the segregated chromosomes inhibits FtsZ assembly over the bulk of the nucleoid. (C) B. subtilis also uses MinCD to inhibit polymerization of FtsZ next to newly formed poles but is localized by DivIVA. The activities of the Min system are complemented by Noc, which prevents Z-ring assembly over the chromosome(s).