The molecular basis of asymmetric cell division in Caulobacter crescentus

Abstract

The bacterium Caulobacter crescentus undergoes a simple developmental program within each cell cycle, resulting in the formation of two different daughter cells: a motile swarmer cell and a non-motile stalked cell. The generation of two cell types is a consequence of the asymmetric positioning of proteins, compartmentalized gene expression and differential programming of DNA replication capacities in the predivisional cell. The localization of a developmentally expressed chemotaxis receptor to the swarmer pole is attributable to two distinct mechanisms: polar targeting, followed by pole-specific proteolysis. In contrast, swarmer pole-specific transcription of flagellar genes results from the pole-specific activation of a transcription factor.