Practice question

Cell shape maintenance in prokaryotes relies on cytoskeletal elements directing wall synthesis. Rod shape requires lateral peptidoglycan insertion along sidewall producing cylinder with hemispherical poles. MreB is bacterial actin homolog sharing actin fold ATP binding pocket polymerizes into short double filaments moving circumferentially around cell coordinated with cell wall synthesis enzymes. MreB associates with MreC MreD transmembrane proteins and RodZ linking to RodA SEDS transglycosylase and PBP2 transpeptidase elongasome complex synthesizing hoop like glycans inserting along length. Depolymerization by drug A22 binding ATP pocket converts rods to spheres demonstrating essentiality, shape defect sensitizes to cell wall antibiotics. FtsZ builds division septum, ParA mediates chromosome plasmid segregation via Walker ATPase, TubZ is tubulin homolog involved in plasmid pBToxis partitioning pushing plasmids. Therefore maintaining rod shape assigned to MreB actin like cytoskeleton, illustrating conservation of actin function in morphogenesis across domains and target for shape altering antibiotics exploring novel antibacterial mechanisms targeting MreB dynamics and Rod complex.