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Nutrient‐associated elongation and asymmetric division of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC 7942
Author(s) -
GoclawBinder Hagit,
Sendersky Eleonora,
Shimoni Eyal,
Kiss Vladimir,
Reich Ziv,
Perelman Alexander,
Schwarz Rakefet
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02620.x
Subject(s) - biology , cytokinesis , cell division , elongation , synechococcus , thymidine , microbiology and biotechnology , dna replication , cell , cyanobacteria , cell growth , strain (injury) , dna , cell cycle , biophysics , biochemistry , genetics , bacteria , anatomy , materials science , ultimate tensile strength , metallurgy
Summary While tightly regulated, bacterial cell morphology may change substantially in response to environmental cues. Here we describe such changes in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC7942. Once maintained in stationary phase, these rod‐shaped organisms stop dividing and elongate up to 50‐fold. Increase in cell length of a thymidine‐auxotroph strain upon thymidine starvation implies that inhibition of DNA replication underlies cell elongation. Elongation occurs under conditions of limiting phosphorus but sufficient nitrogen levels. Once proliferative conditions are restored, elongated cells divide asymmetrically instead of exhibiting the typical fission characterized by mid‐cell constriction. The progeny are of length characteristic of exponentially growing cells and are proficient of further proliferation. We propose that the ability to elongate under conditions of cytokinesis arrest together with the rapid induction of cell division upon nutrient repletion represents a beneficial cellular mechanism operating under specific nutritional conditions.