Open AccessEnergized membrane regulates cell pole formation in Bacillus subtilis
Author(s) -
Kirchner Gretchen,
Koch Arthur L.,
Doyle Ronald J.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1984.tb01294.x
Subject(s) - bacillus subtilis , cytoplasm , membrane , biophysics , cleavage (geology) , cell wall , chemistry , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , anatomy , biochemistry , bacteria , genetics , paleontology , fracture (geology)
The pole of the Gram‐positive rod Bacillus subtilis is formed by the construction of a crosswall which is then split. The newly exteriorized wall comes under stress and stretches to form the developing pole. A model is proposed to account for the even bisection of the septum. It is based on an extension of our previous finding that autolysin action on living cells is increased when the protonmotive force is dissipated in any of a number of ways. The first site of enzymatic attack is that region of the peripheral wall that has become farther removed from the cytoplasmic membrane as the result of the envagination of the developing septum. Later, enzymatic action lead to the cleavage midway between the portions of cytoplasmic membrane delimiting the septum as this region is farthest removed from the source of protonmotive force.