Energized membrane regulates cell pole formation in Bacillus subtilis

Kirchner, Gretchen

doi:10.1016/0378-1097(84)90239-8

Cited by 9 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In the case of gram-positive bacteria, changes in membrane potential might affect the activity of wall-degrading enzymes. Autolytic enzymes, which control cell wall thickness, are sensitive to both the electrical and pH gradients across the membrane (16,17).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electric fields induce curved growth of Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis cells: implications for mechanisms of galvanotropism and bacterial growth

1994

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(18,19,21,24). Its basic assumption is that osmotically derived hydrostatic pressure causes tension within the plane of the wall. The wall is not uniformly rigid, and so expansion occurs at regions that are most plastic. Conceptually, growth should be especially problematic for gramnegative bacteria, in which the load-bearing peptidoglycan of the cell wall is extremely thin (19,23) and the bonds within it are stressed greatly by the cell's high (3 to 5 atm) internal osmotic pressure (20,21). In the case of gram-negative enteric bacteria, the prevailing form of the surface stress theory is the variable T model, which suggests that cell shape is determined by regional variation of T, the analog of surface tension (23). Although new murein is inserted all over the surface of gram-negative rods (30), localized variations in T lead to regional differences in the bond stresses within the sacculus, which in turn dictate the rate of cell wall growth. Growth is slow where T is high (at the old poles and on the side walls) and is faster where T is lower (at the developing division sites).This study illustrates that bacteria curve as they grow in applied electric fields. Our data suggest that this striking morphology arises from field-induced regional variation in wall growth rates on the anode-and cathode-facing sides of cells. The ability to manipulate T locally may therefore be a valuable tool in the effort to understand the process of normal growth. Our data also imply that the mechanism for galvanotropism is not the same for all cell types. Specifically, actin is not an 702

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electric fields induce curved growth of Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis cells: implications for mechanisms of galvanotropism and bacterial growth

1994

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“…It is possible that these sites function to bind DNA-membrane complexes or that the sites are somehow related to crosswall formation or splitting of completed septa (Kirchner et al 1984). Moreover, it is unknown whether the sites contain a unique composition compared with the bulk wall, or whether the sites represent clusters of teichoic acid or negatively charged pepGdoglycan components.…”

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confidence: 99%

Discontinuity of charge on cell wall poles of Bacillus subtilis

Sonnenfeld¹,

Beveridge²,

Doyle³

1985

Can. J. Microbiol.

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“…An intriguing reason for periodic fluxes of respiratory activity may be to control activities of autolytic enzymes by rapid proton extrusion and a resultant lowered pH. Such a cycle-dependent link between these enzymes and membrane potential has recently been proposed and might play a role in the control of wall thickness or in the splitting of the cross-wall [ 17,18].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of inhibitors on respiratory oscillations in synchronised Bacillus subtilis

Hart

1987

FEMS Microbiology Letters

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Energized membrane regulates cell pole formation in Bacillus subtilis

Cited by 9 publications

References 16 publications

Electric fields induce curved growth of Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis cells: implications for mechanisms of galvanotropism and bacterial growth

Electric fields induce curved growth of Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis cells: implications for mechanisms of galvanotropism and bacterial growth

Discontinuity of charge on cell wall poles of Bacillus subtilis

Effects of inhibitors on respiratory oscillations in synchronised Bacillus subtilis

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