Regulation of cell polarity in bacteria

Abstract

Bacteria are polarized cells with many asymmetrically localized proteins that are regulated temporally and spatially. This spatiotemporal dynamics is critical for several fundamental cellular processes including growth, division, cell cycle regulation, chromosome segregation, differentiation, and motility. Therefore, understanding how proteins find their correct location at the right time is crucial for elucidating bacterial cell function. Despite the diversity of proteins displaying spatiotemporal dynamics, general principles for the dynamic regulation of protein localization to the cell poles and the midcell are emerging. These principles include diffusion-capture, self-assembling polymer-forming landmark proteins, nonpolymer forming landmark proteins, matrix-dependent self-organizing ParA/MinD ATPases, and small Ras-like GTPases.