FTSZ AND CELL-DIVISION

The ftsZ gene in Escherichia coli is thought to be an essential gene and to play a pivotal role in cell division. Gene disruption experiments confirmed that ftsZ is an essential gene. Examination of cellular responses to FtsZ depletion indicated that FtsZ was required for division but not for nucleoid segregation. Analysis of mutations within the ftsZ, gene, selected for resistance to the cell division inhibitor SulA, revealed that they also conferred resistance to MinCD. This raises the possibility that ftsZ is the target of these two cell division inhibitors. Analysis of the ftsZ gene from Bacillus subtilis revealed that the gene was required for both septation during vegetative growth and asymmetric septation during sporulation.