The Min System Disassembles FtsZ Foci and Inhibits Polar Peptidoglycan Remodeling in Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

Many bacteria grow and divide by binary fission in which a mother cell divides into two identical daughter cells. To produce two equally sized daughters, the division machinery, guided by FtsZ, must dynamically localize to the midcell each cell cycle. Here, we quantitatively analyzed FtsZ dynamics during growth and found that the Min system of Bacillus subtilis is essential to disassemble FtsZ rings after division. Moreover, a failure to efficiently recycle FtsZ results in an increase in cell size. Finally, we show that the Min system has an additional role in inhibiting cell wall turnover and contributes to the “inert” property of cell walls at the poles.