Elsevier

Current Opinion in Cell Biology

Volume 38, February 2016, Pages 52-59
Current Opinion in Cell Biology

Pattern formation on membranes and its role in bacterial cell division

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceb.2016.02.005Get rights and content

Bacterial cell division is arguably one of the most central processes in biology. Despite the identification of many important molecular players, surprisingly little is yet known about the underlying physicochemical mechanisms. However, self-organized protein patterns play key roles during division of Escherichia coli, where division is initiated by the directed localization of FtsZ to the cell middle by an inhibitor gradient arising from pole-to-pole oscillations of MinCDE proteins. In vitro reconstitution studies have established that both the Min system and FtsZ with its membrane adaptor FtsA form dynamic energy-dependent patterns on membranes. Furthermore, recent in vivo and in vitro approaches have shown that Min patterns display rich dynamics in diverse geometries and respond to the progress of cytokinesis.

Section snippets

Pattern formation inside the cell

Pattern formation is central to biology over all scales, from the molecular processes determining the division of a single cell via the collective behavior of unicellular organisms to the embryonic development of animals and the structure of societies [1]. Despite the apparent complexity of these phenomena, spatiotemporal patterns often emerge from the self-organization of a relatively small number of key components under out-of-equilibrium conditions. Importantly, self-organized patterns are

Self-organization and pattern formation in bacterial cell division

The role of membrane-catalyzed protein patterns in such important processes as cytokinesis is not limited to eukaryotes. In fact, it is now clear that some of the most fundamental processes in bacteria rely on self-organized pattern formation of proteins on membranes. Here, we review how a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches together with microfabrication and nanofabrication techniques enabled the elucidation of molecular self-organization and pattern formation on membranes during

Toward an integrated view of bacterial cell division

It has now become clear that pattern formation involving the plasma membrane as an assembly platform and catalytic template is crucial for division of E. coli. In vitro reconstitution studies have helped in establishing the underlying mechanisms of MinCDE and FtsZ/FtsA patterns on membranes. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo studies in combination with microfabrication or nanofabrication techniques have shown that Min dynamics are capable of adapting to a wide range of different geometries.

References and recommended reading

Papers of particular interest, published within the period of review, have been highlighted as:

  • • of special interest

  • •• of outstanding interest

Acknowledgements

We thank Beatrice Ramm for comments on the manuscript. Simon Kretschmer is currently supported by the collaborative research project (SFB) 1032 ‘Nanoagents for the spatiotemporal control of molecular and cellular reactions’ and was previously supported by a DFG fellowship through the Graduate School of Quantitative Biosciences Munich (QBM).

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