Growth and Division of Filamentous Forms of Escherichia coli

Abstract

Adler, Howard I. (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.), and Alice A. Hardigree . Growth and division of filamentous forms of Escherichia coli . J. Bacteriol. 90: 223–226. 1965.—Cells of certain mutant strains of Escherichia coli grow into long multinucleate filaments after exposure to radiation. Deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and protein synthesis proceed, but cytokinesis does not occur. Cytokinesis (cross-septation) can be initiated by exposure of the filaments to pantoyl lactone or a temperature of 42 C. If growing filaments are treated with mitomycin C, nuclear division does not occur, and nuclear material is confined to the central region of the filament. Cytokinesis cannot be induced in mitomycin C-treated filaments by pantoyl lactone or treatment at 42 C.