The reproduction of gram-negative protoplasts and the influence of environmental conditions on this process

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Summary

Bacterial protoplasts are known to reproduce independently of canonical molecular biological processes. Although their reproduction is thought to be influenced by environmental conditions, the growth of protoplasts in their natural habitat has never been empirically studied. Here, we studied the life cycle of protoplasts in their native environment. Contrary to the previous perception that protoplasts reproduce in an erratic manner, cells in our study reproduced in a defined sequence of steps, always leading to viable daughter cells. Their reproduction can be explained by an interplay between intracellular metabolism, the physicochemical properties of cell constituents, and the nature of cations in the growth media. The efficiency of reproduction is determined by the environmental conditions. Under favorable environmental conditions, protoplasts reproduce with nearly similar efficiency to cells that possess a cell wall. In short, here we demonstrate the simplest method of cellular reproduction and the influence of environmental conditions on this process.

Graphical abstract

Highlights

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Here, we studied protoplast reproduction in their native hypersaline habitat
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We demonstrate the influence of environmental conditions on protoplast reproduction
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Protoplasts reproduce efficiently if the environmental conditions are favorable

Abstract

Microbiology; Evolutionary biology; Cell biology

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Author and article information

Contributors

Dheeraj Kanaparthi

Tillmann Lueders

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): iScience

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): iScience

Title: iScience

Publisher: Elsevier

ISSN (Electronic): 2589-0042

Publication date PMC-release: 06 October 2023

Publication date Collection: 17 November 2023

Publication date (Electronic): 06 October 2023

Volume: 26

Issue: 11

Electronic Location Identifier: 108149

Affiliations

[1 ]Max-Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Munich, Germany

[2 ]Chair of Ecological Microbiology, BayCeer, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

[3 ]Excellence Cluster ORIGINS, Garching, Germany

[4 ]Advanced Light Microscopy Facility, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany

[5 ]Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, CAS, Changsha, China

[6 ]Department of Biology, LMU, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany

Author notes

[∗ ]Corresponding author kanaparthi@ 123456biochem.mpg.de

[∗∗ ]Corresponding author tillmann.lueders@ 123456uni-bayreuth.de

[7]

Lead contact

Article

Publisher Item ID: S2589-0042(23)02226-5 Publisher ID: 108149

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108149

PMC ID: 10628739

PubMed ID: 37942012

SO-VID: 7ce60386-e396-461c-87cb-b8c2594dd39d

License:

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

History

Date received : 22 November 2022

Date revision received : 31 January 2023

Date accepted : 2 October 2023

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