Inorganic polyphosphate and the stringent response coordinately control cell division and cell morphology in Escherichia coli

• Published in: mBio Vol. 16; no. 2; p. e0351124
• Main Authors: Hamm, Christopher W., Gray, Michael J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society for Microbiology 05.02.2025
• Subjects: (p)ppGpp; Cell Division; cell morphology; Escherichia coli - cytology; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - metabolism; Escherichia coli - physiology; Escherichia coli Proteins - genetics; Escherichia coli Proteins - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Guanosine Pentaphosphate - metabolism; Guanosine Tetraphosphate - metabolism; Microbial Genetics; polyphosphate; Polyphosphates - metabolism; Research Article; stress response; Stress, Physiological; stringent response; polyphosphate; cell division; stress response; (p)ppGpp; cell morphology; stringent response
• ISSN: 2150-7511; 2150-7511
• DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03511-24

Cell division is a fundamental biological process, and the mechanisms that control it in Escherichia coli have been the subject of intense research scrutiny for many decades. Similarly, both the (p)ppGpp-dependent stringent response and inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) synthesis are well-studied, evolutionarily ancient, and widely conserved pathways in diverse bacteria. Our results indicate that these systems, normally studied as stress-response mechanisms, play a coordinated and novel role in regulating cell division, morphology, and metabolism even under non-stress conditions.