papers2008

Membrane lipid homeostasis in bacteria

The ability of bacteria to control the biophysical properties of their membrane phospholipids allows them to thrive in a wide range of physical environments. Bacteria precisely adjust their membrane lipid composition by modifying the types of fatty acids that are produced by the biosynthetic pathway and altering the structures of pre-existing phospholipids. The recycling of phospholipids that are used as intermediates in the biosynthesis of other major membrane components is also crucial to bilayer stability in dividing cells. Here, the principal genetic and biochemical processes that are responsible for membrane lipid homeostasis in bacteria are reviewed.

Getting organized — how bacterial cells move proteins and DNA

Martin Thanbichler* and Lucy Shapiro‡ Abstract | In recent years, the subcellular organization of prokaryotic cells has become a focal point of interest in microbiology. Bacteria have evolved several different mechanisms to target protein complexes, membrane vesicles and DNA to specific positions within the cell. This versatility allows bacteria to establish the complex temporal and spatial regulatory networks that couple morphological and physiological differentiation with cell-cycle progression. In addition to stationary localization factors, dynamic cytoskeletal structures also have a fundamental role in many of these processes. In this Review, we summarize the current knowledge on localization mechanisms in bacteria, with an emphasis on the role of polymeric protein assemblies in the directed movement and positioning of macromolecular complexes.