Review

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 6, 862-871 (November 2005) | doi:10.1038/nrm1745

FtsZ and the division of prokaryotic cells and organelles

William Margolin1  About the author

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Binary fission of many prokaryotes as well as some eukaryotic organelles depends on the FtsZ protein, which self-assembles into a membrane-associated ring structure early in the division process. FtsZ is homologous to tubulin, the building block of the microtubule cytoskeleton in eukaryotes. Recent advances in genomics and cell-imaging techniques have paved the way for the remarkable progress in our understanding of fission in bacteria and organelles.

Author affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
    Email: William.Margolin@uth.tmc.edu

Published online 14 October 2005

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