Relation between rotation of MreB actin and cell width of Escherichia coli

• Published in: Genes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 259 - 265
• Main Authors: Kurita, Keisuke, Shin, Ryota, Tabei, Tsutomu, Shiomi, Daisuke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.03.2019
• Subjects: Actin; bacterial actin; Cell cycle; cell shape; Cell walls; cell width; E coli; Escherichia coli; Molecular modelling; Peptidoglycans; Polymers; bacterial actin; cell shape; cell width
• ISSN: 1356-9597; 1365-2443
• DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12667

Bacterial cells, including Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, continuously elongate and divide. Although the cell width is maintained during cell cycle, the molecular mechanisms involved in its regulation remain unknown. MreB has been implicated to play a role in maintaining cell width. Several point mutations in mreB that affect cell width have been identified. The MreB protein forms clusters or polymers in the cell and moves along annular tracks perpendicular to the long axis. This rotation is coupled with peptidoglycan synthesis. Here, we focused on two MreB mutants, MreBA125V and MreBA174T. Cells producing MreBA125V and MreBA174T were thinner and thicker than WT cells, and MreBA125V and MreBA174T rotated faster and slower than WT MreB, respectively. We observed that the rotation rate correlated with the cell wall synthesis rate. Thus, we conclude that the velocity of MreB rotation also affects cell width, that is, the faster the MreB rotates, the thinner the cell width is. Cells producing MreBA125V and MreBA174T were thinner and thicker than WT cells, and MreBA125V and MreBA174T rotated faster and slower than WT MreB, respectively. Thus, we conclude that the velocity of MreB rotation also affects cell width, that is, the faster the MreB rotates, the thinner the cell width is.