F
IPR004753

Cell shape determining protein MreB

InterPro entry
Short nameMreB
Overlapping
homologous
superfamilies
 

Description

MreB proteins are essential for cell-shape maintenance and cell morphogenesis in most non-spherical bacteria
[1, 7]
. Most rod-shaped or non-spherical bacteria possess at least one mreB homologue. In Bacillus subtilis, sidewall elongation during vegetative growth is controlled by three MreB isoforms: MreB, Mbl and MreBH
[6]
. MreB proteins are found in rod-shaped bacteria, such as E. coli and B. subtilis, that grow by dispersed intercalation of new wall material along the long axis of the cell, as opposed to those that grow from the cell pole
[4]
.

The crystal structure of MreB from Thermotoga maritima was resolved using X-ray crystallography, and the results suggested that MreB proteins form long filaments that wrap around the long axis of the cell close to the cell membrane, forming helix-like structures. These observations led to the idea that MreB proteins might have an actin-like cytoskeletal role in bacteria
[2, 5]
. However, this remains controversial
[1, 3]
.

References

1.The actin-like MreB proteins in Bacillus subtilis: a new turn. Chastanet A, Carballido-Lopez R. Front Biosci (Schol Ed) 4, 1582-606, (2012). View articlePMID: 22652894

2.Prokaryotic origin of the actin cytoskeleton. van den Ent F, Amos LA, Lowe J. Nature 413, 39-44, (2001). View articlePMID: 11544518

3.Bacterial morphogenesis and the enigmatic MreB helix. Errington J. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 13, 241-8, (2015). View articlePMID: 25578957

4.Control of cell morphogenesis in bacteria: two distinct ways to make a rod-shaped cell. Daniel RA, Errington J. Cell 113, 767-76, (2003). View articlePMID: 12809607

5.Bacterial ancestry of actin and tubulin. van den Ent F, Amos L, Lowe J. Curr. Opin. Microbiol. 4, 634-8, (2001). View articlePMID: 11731313

6.Partial functional redundancy of MreB isoforms, MreB, Mbl and MreBH, in cell morphogenesis of Bacillus subtilis. Kawai Y, Asai K, Errington J. Mol. Microbiol. 73, 719-31, (2009). View articlePMID: 19659933

7.The bacterial actin-like cytoskeleton. Carballido-Lopez R. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 70, 888-909, (2006). View articlePMID: 17158703

Further reading

8. Bacterial DNA segregation by the actin-like MreB protein. Kruse T, Gerdes K. Trends Cell Biol. 15, 343-5, (2005). View articlePMID: 15922599

9. MreB and MurG as scaffolds for the cytoplasmic steps of peptidoglycan biosynthesis. Favini-Stabile S, Contreras-Martel C, Thielens N, Dessen A. Environ. Microbiol. 15, 3218-28, (2013). View articlePMID: 23826965

10. The cell shape proteins MreB and MreC control cell morphogenesis by positioning cell wall synthetic complexes. Divakaruni AV, Baida C, White CL, Gober JW. Mol. Microbiol. 66, 174-88, (2007). View articlePMID: 17880425

GO terms

molecular function

  • None

cellular component

  • None

Cross References

Contributing Member Database Entries
This website requires cookies, and the limited processing of your personal data in order to function. By using the site you are agreeing to this as outlined in our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use.