Cell Division Flashcards
1
Q
Mother cell
A
the cell that is about to divide
2
Q
events in cell division
A
- DNA replication and cell elongation
- chromosome partitioning
- determining the plane of division
- cytokinesis
3
Q
Cell elongation genes
A
- MreB
4
Q
Chromosome partitioning genes
A
- par
- xer
- muc
- tip
5
Q
Mid-point determining genes
A
min
Min - midpoint
6
Q
cytokinesis genes
A
- fts
- zip
7
Q
Force and shape
A
- MreB
8
Q
cell wall extension
A
A large multi enzyme complex
9
Q
Murein hydrolyases
A
- lytic transglycolysase,
- endopeptidase
10
Q
murein synthase
A
- transpeptidase
- transglycolysase
11
Q
MreB
A
- skeleton that gives the bacterium its shape in bacilli (absent in cocci)
- MreB filaments polymerize in the presence of ATP, forming actin-like filaments
- as MreB polymerizes, a force is generated at the poles of the cell and it elongates.
12
Q
Cell wall extension
A
- a large multi enzyme complex consisting of both murein hydrolyses and murein syntheses adds new polymerase to expand the cell wall without losing structural integrity.
- the complex synthesizes three new peptidoglycan strands underneath a “guide strand” via the transpeptidase and transglycolysase of the murein synthase
- and at the same time degrades the guide strand via the lytic transglycolyase and endopeptidase of the murein hydrolase.
13
Q
Net result of cell wall extension
A
one strand is safely replaced by three new strands.
14
Q
Chromosome separation
A
- After termination, the two DNA strands are connected or are concatamers
- The XerC and XerD recombinases bind at the dif locus and resolves the concatamers through a double stranded break in one DNA strand.
- The other DNA strand is passed through the break and the gap is resealed.
- ATP requiring process.
15
Q
Partitioning
A
- the chromosomes must be translocated to the poles of the cell to make sure each daughter cell gets one.
- Done by Par and Muk proteins
16
Q
Par
A
- bind to newly synthesized DNA molecules
- located near the origin of replication
17
Q
Muk
A
- homologous to eukyarotic motors
18
Q
MreB cytoskeleton
A
- used as a scaffold for the motor proteins to walk along
19
Q
Par, Muk, and MreB process
A
- MreB polymers extend the length of the cell and are tracks along which the Muk motors walk, dragging the chromosomes via the Par proteins.
- origins are dragged to the poles as DNA is synthesized
20
Q
Tip proteins
A
- bind to the end of the cell, anchor for Par
21
Q
Determining the midpoint
A
- The Min family of proteins determines the division plane in rods.
- Min mutants originally isolate as strains that produced “minimills” that would divide at the poles instead of at the middle of the cells
22
Q
MinC and Min D
A
- negative regulators of cell division
- cycle from pole to pole, but spend very little time in the middle of the cell.
- prevent formation of the Z ring that will physically divide the cell.
23
Q
Z ring
A
- polymer of the the protein FtsZ, and can only form in an area where MinC and MinD are not present at high levels.
24
Q
nucleon occlusion model
A
- the presence of a nucleoid also inhibits formation of the Z ring
- before the chromosomes have partitioned, they will occupy the center of the cell.
- The Z ring will not be able to form anywhere, being inhibited by MinCD at the poles and the nucleoid in the center
- Only after chromosomes have been partitioned does the Z ring start to assemble