The Min system prevents Z-ring formation at the bacterial poles by:
Accurate division requires Z ring forms only at midcell between segregated chromosomes preventing minicell formation anucleate wasted progeny. Min system provides positional information via reaction diffusion oscillation. MinD ATPase dimer binds membrane, recruits MinC FtsZ inhibitor blocking polymerization, MinE stimulates MinD ATPase causing release, complex cycles pole to pole with period about 1 minute resulting concentration minima at center where FtsZ can assemble. Second safeguard nucleoid occlusion proteins SlmA in Escherichia coli and Noc in Bacillus bind DNA and directly inhibit FtsZ
Ref: Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 7th ed., Chapter 17: Min system prevents polar Z-ring via FtsZ inhibition.
