Bacterial cell curvature through mechanical control of cell growth

TY - JOUR

T1 - Bacterial cell curvature through mechanical control of cell growth

AU - Cabeen, Matthew T

AU - Charbon, Godefroid

AU - Vollmer, Waldemar

AU - Born, Petra

AU - Ausmees, Nora

AU - Weibel, Douglas B

AU - Jacobs-Wagner, Christine

PY - 2009/5/6

Y1 - 2009/5/6

N2 - The cytoskeleton is a key regulator of cell morphogenesis. Crescentin, a bacterial intermediate filament-like protein, is required for the curved shape of Caulobacter crescentus and localizes to the inner cell curvature. Here, we show that crescentin forms a single filamentous structure that collapses into a helix when detached from the cell membrane, suggesting that it is normally maintained in a stretched configuration. Crescentin causes an elongation rate gradient around the circumference of the sidewall, creating a longitudinal cell length differential and hence curvature. Such curvature can be produced by physical force alone when cells are grown in circular microchambers. Production of crescentin in Escherichia coli is sufficient to generate cell curvature. Our data argue for a model in which physical strain borne by the crescentin structure anisotropically alters the kinetics of cell wall insertion to produce curved growth. Our study suggests that bacteria may use the cytoskeleton for mechanical control of growth to alter morphology.

AB - The cytoskeleton is a key regulator of cell morphogenesis. Crescentin, a bacterial intermediate filament-like protein, is required for the curved shape of Caulobacter crescentus and localizes to the inner cell curvature. Here, we show that crescentin forms a single filamentous structure that collapses into a helix when detached from the cell membrane, suggesting that it is normally maintained in a stretched configuration. Crescentin causes an elongation rate gradient around the circumference of the sidewall, creating a longitudinal cell length differential and hence curvature. Such curvature can be produced by physical force alone when cells are grown in circular microchambers. Production of crescentin in Escherichia coli is sufficient to generate cell curvature. Our data argue for a model in which physical strain borne by the crescentin structure anisotropically alters the kinetics of cell wall insertion to produce curved growth. Our study suggests that bacteria may use the cytoskeleton for mechanical control of growth to alter morphology.

KW - Bacterial Proteins/chemistry

KW - Biomechanical Phenomena

KW - Caulobacter crescentus/cytology

KW - Escherichia coli/cytology

KW - Immunoblotting

KW - Intermediate Filaments/genetics

KW - Microscopy

KW - Microscopy, Electron, Scanning

KW - Microscopy, Electron, Transmission

KW - Peptidoglycan/metabolism

KW - Protein Structure, Tertiary

U2 - 10.1038/emboj.2009.61

DO - 10.1038/emboj.2009.61

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 19279668

SN - 0261-4189

VL - 28

SP - 1208

EP - 1219

JO - E M B O Journal

JF - E M B O Journal

IS - 9

ER -