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A model for asymmetric septum formation during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis
Author(s) -
Errington J.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1991.tb00750.x
Subject(s) - bacillus subtilis , biology , asymmetric cell division , spore , cell division , division (mathematics) , microbiology and biotechnology , mutant , caulobacter crescentus , mechanism (biology) , sporogenesis , genetics , bacteria , bacterial protein , cell , gene , philosophy , arithmetic , mathematics , epistemology
Summary Many differentiation processes in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes begin with an asymmetric division, producing ‘daughter’ cells that differ in size and developmental fate. This is particularly obvious in the well‐studied prokaryotic lif cycles of Caulobacter and Bacillus. In no system, however, is the mechanism of asymmentric division understood. Here I propose a model for the mechanism o asymmetric division during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. The model explains bth the timing and asymmetric localization of spore‐septum formation. It also explains the morphological phenotypes of various asporogenous ( spo ) mutants.