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Life without a wall or division machine in Bacillus subtilis

Author

Listed:
  • M. Leaver

    (Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK)

  • P. Domínguez-Cuevas

    (Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK)

  • J. M. Coxhead

    (Institute for Human Genetics, Newcastle University, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK)

  • R. A. Daniel

    (Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK)

  • J. Errington

    (Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK)

Abstract

The cell wall is an essential structure for virtually all bacteria, forming a tough outer shell that protects the cell from damage and osmotic lysis. It is the target of our best antibiotics. L-form strains are wall-deficient derivatives of common bacteria that have been studied for decades. However, they are difficult to generate and typically require growth for many generations on osmotically protective media with antibiotics or enzymes that kill walled forms. Despite their potential importance for understanding antibiotic resistance and pathogenesis, little is known about their basic cell biology or their means of propagation. We have developed a controllable system for generating L-forms in the highly tractable model bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Here, using genome sequencing, we identify a single point mutation that predisposes cells to grow without a wall. We show that propagation of L-forms does not require the normal FtsZ-dependent division machine but occurs by a remarkable extrusion-resolution mechanism. This novel form of propagation provides insights into how early forms of cellular life may have proliferated.

Suggested Citation

  • M. Leaver & P. Domínguez-Cuevas & J. M. Coxhead & R. A. Daniel & J. Errington, 2009. "Life without a wall or division machine in Bacillus subtilis," Nature, Nature, vol. 457(7231), pages 849-853, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:457:y:2009:i:7231:d:10.1038_nature07742
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07742
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yoshikazu Kawai & Maki Kawai & Eilidh Sohini Mackenzie & Yousef Dashti & Bernhard Kepplinger & Kevin John Waldron & Jeff Errington, 2023. "On the mechanisms of lysis triggered by perturbations of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Manuel Halte & Ekaterina P. Andrianova & Christian Goosmann & Fabienne F. V. Chevance & Kelly T. Hughes & Igor B. Zhulin & Marc Erhardt, 2024. "FlhE functions as a chaperone to prevent formation of periplasmic flagella in Gram-negative bacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Miloš Tišma & Florian Patrick Bock & Jacob Kerssemakers & Hammam Antar & Aleksandre Japaridze & Stephan Gruber & Cees Dekker, 2024. "Direct observation of a crescent-shape chromosome in expanded Bacillus subtilis cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Renée Kapteijn & Shraddha Shitut & Dennis Aschmann & Le Zhang & Marit Beer & Deniz Daviran & Rona Roverts & Anat Akiva & Gilles P. Wezel & Alexander Kros & Dennis Claessen, 2022. "Endocytosis-like DNA uptake by cell wall-deficient bacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.
    5. Simone Pelliciari & Salomé Bodet-Lefèvre & Stepan Fenyk & Daniel Stevens & Charles Winterhalter & Frederic D. Schramm & Sara Pintar & Daniel R. Burnham & George Merces & Tomas T. Richardson & Yumiko T, 2023. "The bacterial replication origin BUS promotes nucleobase capture," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.

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