Bacterial development articles from across Nature Portfolio

Surface layers (S-layers) are proteinaceous, two-dimensional paracrystalline arrays that constitute a major component of the cell envelope in many prokaryotic species. Here, Herdman et al. investigate S-layer biogenesis in the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, providing insights into its coordination with the synthesis of other cell envelope components.

Protein VirB regulates the expression of virulence genes in the pathogen Shigella flexneri by binding to DNA sequences far upstream of their promoters. Here, Jakob et al. show that VirB acts as a CTP-dependent molecular switch that uses a loading-and-sliding mechanism to control transcription of its target genes.

Bacteria of the genus Actinoplanes form sporangia which, upon contact with water, release motile spores. Here, the authors study the mechanisms behind sporangium dehiscence and discover a sigma/anti-sigma system with unique features.

The enzymes FtsW and FtsI are thought to be essential for the synthesis of septal peptidoglycan (PG) during bacterial cell division. Here, Shrestha et al. show that the pathogen Clostridioides difficile lacks a canonical FtsW/FtsI pair, with its homologs fulfilling sporulation-specific roles including the synthesis of septal PG during sporulation-specific cell division.

This study reveals a role of contractile injection systems in regulated cell death and developmental processes.

A study in spore-forming bacteria shows that phage-encoded sigma factors can disrupt dormancy.

To grow and divide properly, bacteria need to coordinate DNA replication with cell division. A recent study identifies CcrZ as a protein from Streptococcus pneumoniae that links these two processes by interacting with FtsZ, the orchestrator of cell division, and modulating the activity of DnaA, the initiator of DNA replication.

This study reports that ICEBs1, which is an integrative and conjugative element of Bacillus subtilis, provides a selective advantage to its host cells during two developmental processes: biofilm formation and sporulation.

This study shows that the toxin of a toxin−antitoxin system triggers the rapid transformation of spiral-shaped Helicobacter pylori into coccoids.

Two studies now provide insights into how surface contact and sensing stimulate the synthesis of c-di-GMP, which accelerates cell cycle progression and cell differentiation in Caulobacter crescentus.