Recovery of division process in bacterial cells after induction of SulA protein which is responsible for cytokinesis arrest during SOS-response

Abstract

SOS-response is an important tool of bacteria intended to protect their genome and thereby allow them to survive under adverse conditions. Recently SOS-response was demonstrated to enhance mutagenesis and thus help bacteria to acquire antibiotic resistance. Due to high significance of this phenomena it seems to be important to investigate processes that allow bacteria to survive after SOS-response activation. In current work the recovery of division process of Escherichia coli cells after division arrest due to expression of SOS-response protein SulA was studied. Data indicate that cells are able to rapidly restore normal division; also nucleoid occlusion seems to be the main septum positioning mechanism during the process. In the course of recovery FtsZ forms helix-like structures, which then transform into Z-rings.