Planctomycetal cell division: Analysis of the budding mechanism in Planctomyces limnophilus

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christian Jogler
• Subject Area: Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology ; Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Term: from 2013 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 247689746

• Final Report Year: 2018

Final Report Abstract

Taken together the project turned out exceptionally successful. Although, major objectives had to be modified due to funding, and due to the early unexpected discovery of peptidoglycan, the project resulted in two publications in Nature Communications. The main finding of this project is the peptidoglycan cell wall of Planctomycetes. Furthermore, Planctomycetes were found to be similar, yet distinct, compared to canonical Gram-negative bacteria. They comprise an enlarged periplasmic space but mostly lack the postulated compartmentalization of the cytosol. Nor do they perform an endocytosis-like uptake of proteins. In this project time-lapse microscopy and microfluidic methods were optimized for Planctomycetes. First experiment point towards a role of MreB in the cell division of some Planctomycetes. More research is needed to understand the division of these unusual bacteria.

Publications

• 2015. Planctomycetes do possess peptidoglycan. Nature Communications. 6: p.7116
  Jeske O, Schüler M, Schumann P, Schneider A, Boedeker C, Jogler M, Rohde M, Mayer C, Engelhardt H, Spring S, Jogler C
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8116)
• 2016. Fuerstia marisgermanicae gen. nov., sp. nov., an unusual member of the phylum Planctomycetes from the German Wadden Sea. Frontiers in Microbiology. 22;7: 2079
  Kohn T, Jogler M, Heuer A, Vollmers J, Boedeker C, Bunk B, Rast P, Borchert D, Glöckner I, Freese H, Overmann J, Rohde M, Kaster A, Wiegand S and Jogler C
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.02079)
• 2017. Determining the bacterial cell biology of Planctomycetes. Nature Communications. 10;8: 14853
  Boedeker C, Schüler M, Reintjes G, Jeske O, van Teeseling MCF, Jogler M, Rast P, Borchert D, Devos DP, Kucklick M, Schaffer M, Kolter R, van Niftrik L, Engelmann S, Amann R, Rohde M, Engelhardt H and Jogler C
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14853)