Control of division gene expression in Escherichia coli

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters Vol. 187; no. 1; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Dewar, Susan J., Dorazi, Robert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2000; Blackwell; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell cycle; Cell division; Cell Division - genetics; Cells (biology); E coli; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - growth & development; Fts protein; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Genes; Genes, Bacterial - genetics; Genetics; Life Cycle Stages; Microbiology; Nucleotides; Operon; Progenitor cells; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Regulation; Septation; Septum; Transcription, Genetic; Transcriptional organization; Fts protein; Cell division; Regulation; Gene expression; Transcriptional organization; Regulation(control); Gene; Escherichia coli; Initiation factor σ; Bacteria; Review; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2000.tb09127.x

Abstract Duplication of the Escherichia coli bacterial cell culminates in the formation of a division septum that splits the progenitor cell into two identical daughter cells. Invagination of the cell envelope is brought about by the co-ordinated interplay of a family of septation-specific proteins that act locally at mid-cell at a specific time in the cell cycle. The majority of the genes known to be required for septum formation are found within the large mra cluster located at 2 min on the E. coli genetic map (nucleotides 89 552–107 474). Examination of the controls exerted on the mra operon shows that E. coli uses an extraordinary range of strategies to co-ordinate the expression of the cell division genes with respect to each other and to the cell cycle.