An intracellular compass spatially coordinates cell cycle modules in Caulobacter crescentus

Abstract

Cellular functions in Bacteria, such as chromosome segregation and cytokinesis, result from cascades of molecular events operating largely as self-contained modules. Regulated timing of these cellular modules stems from global genetic circuits that allow precise temporal activation with respect to cell cycle progression and cell differentiation. Critically, many of these functions occur at defined locations within the cell, and therefore regulators of each module must communicate to remain coordinated in space. In this perspective, we highlight recent discoveries in Caulobacter crescentus asymmetric cell division to illuminate diverse mechanisms by which a cellular compass, composed of scaffolding and signaling proteins, directs cell cycle modules to their exact cellular addresses.

Bacterial Cell Division: Nonmodels Poised to Take the Spotlight

“…TipN ( Tip of N ew pole) is another protein involved in marking the new pole (the site of flagellar assembly) after cell division. Interestingly, overproduction of TipN resulted in the formation of both minicells and elongated cells(64, 79, 81). Absence of TipN together with TipF, a protein essential for flagellar assembly, results in cell elongation and filamentation (64).…”

A new factor controlling cell envelope integrity in Alphaproteobacteria in the context of cell cycle, stress response and infection

“…Rickettsia , Brucella and Bartonella ) (Di Russo Case and Samuel, ). Other well‐studied model species belonging to the alphaproteobacterial class include the bacterial cell cycle and differentiation model Caulobacter crescentus (Lasker et al ., ), the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides (Porter et al ., ) and the magnetotactic bacterium Magnetospirillum magneticum (Uebe and Schüler, ).…”

Shapeshifting to Survive: Shape Determination and Regulation in Caulobacter crescentus

“…Caulobacter undergoes distinct morphological transitions as it progresses through its cell cycle (Fig. 1A), making it an excellent model system for addressing cell shape specification and regulation [5,6]. Cell division in Caulobacter gives rise to two dissimilar daughters: a motile swarmer cell and a sessile stalked cell.…”

“…In Caulobacter, cell cycle progression and the corresponding shape changes occur at specific times due to a robust regulatory circuit of transcriptional control layered with translational control, proteolysis, and/or phosphorylation of key factors [5,6]. This circuit affects the cell cycle-dependent expression and activity of hundreds of factors, including those required for morphogenesis.…”