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Title: Loss of PopZ At activity in Agrobacterium tumefaciens by Deletion or Depletion Leads to Multiple Growth Poles, Minicells, and Growth Defects
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a rod-shaped bacterium that grows by addition of PG at only one pole. The factors involved in maintaining cell asymmetry during the cell cycle with an inert old pole and a growing new pole are not well understood. Here we investigate the role of PopZ At , a homologue of Caulobacter crescentus PopZ (PopZ Cc ), a protein essential in many aspects of pole identity in C. crescentus . We report that the loss of PopZ At leads to the appearance of branching cells, minicells, and overall growth defects. As many plant and animal pathogens also employ polar growth, understanding this process in A. tumefaciens may lead to the development of new strategies to prevent the proliferation of these pathogens. In addition, studies of A. tumefaciens will provide new insights into the evolution of the genetic networks that regulate bacterial polar growth and cell division.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1715103
NSF-PAR ID:
10325421
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ;
Editor(s):
Bassler, Bonnie
Date Published:
Journal Name:
mBio
Volume:
8
Issue:
6
ISSN:
2161-2129
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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