The membrane-bound cell division protein DivIB is localized to the division site in Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

The cell division gene divIB of Bacillus subtilis is essential for the normal rate of growth and division. The gene product, DivIB, is a membrane- bound protein in which the bulk of the protein (at the C-terminal end) is on the exterior surface of the cell membrane. DivIB is involved the early stages of septum formation, but its exact role in cell division is unknown. To gain more information about the mode of action of DivIB in septum formation, we determined the location of DivIB within the cell membrane using immunofluorescence. This immunolocalization approach established that DivIB becomes localized to the division site before visible septation and remains localized to this site throughout the division process. Various DivIB immunostaining patterns were observed in immunofluorescence experiments and, together with cell length and nucleoid distance measurements, have allowed us to propose two models to describe DivIB localization during the cell cycle.