Control of division gene expression in Escherichia coli

Duplication of the Escherichia coli bacterial cell culminates in the formation of a division septum that splits the progenitor cell into two identical daughter cells. Invagination of the cell envelope is brought about by the co-ordinated interplay of a family of septation-specific proteins that act locally at mid-cell at a specific time in the cell cycle. The majority of the genes known to be required for septum formation are found within the large mra cluster located at 2 min on the E. coli genetic map (nucleotides 89 552-107 474). Examination of the controls exerted on the mra operon shows that E. coli uses an extraordinary range of strategies to co-ordinate the expression of the cell division genes with respect to each other and to the cell cycle. Copyright (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies.