Cell division is spatiotemporally precisely regulated, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. In the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus, the PomX/PomY/PomZ proteins form a single megadalton-sized complex that directly positions and stimulates cytokinetic ring formation by the tubulin homolog FtsZ. Here, we study the structure and mechanism of this complex in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that PomY forms liquid-like biomolecular condensates by phase separation, while PomX self-assembles into filaments generating a single large cellular structure. The PomX structure enriches PomY, thereby guaranteeing the formation of precisely one PomY condensate per cell through surface-assisted condensation. In vitro, PomY condensates selectively enrich FtsZ and nucleate GTP-dependent FtsZ polymerization and bundle FtsZ filaments, suggesting a cell division site positioning mechanism in which the single PomY condensate enriches FtsZ to guide FtsZ-ring formation and division. This mechanism shares features with microtubule nucleation by biomolecular condensates in eukaryotes, supporting this mechanism’s ancient origin.
The continuation of training at home after a stay in a rehabilitation clinic requires motivation and personal responsibility. However, patients do often not achieve the required training frequency. In this work, we propose a method to visualize the training status based on light, which can be integrated into the rehabilitation process. Integrated into the personal environment, feedback is generated if training is necessary or not. Based on a first prototype, we evaluated the impact on a patient in a qualitative experimental pilot study over four weeks and the expected overall effect on patients by an expert interview. The results show an animating and rewarding impact on the patient, as well as an orientation for scheduled training days and supporting effect for regular training. This work provides a basis for further research to improve the integration of home training into the everyday life of patients and the use of feedback.
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