Pattern formation within Escherichia coli: diffusion, membrane attachment, and self-interaction of MinD molecules.

Publication Year
2004

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

In E. coli, accurate cell division depends upon the oscillation of Min proteins from pole to pole. We provide a model for the polar localization of MinD based only on diffusion, a delay for nucleotide exchange, and different rates of attachment to the bare membrane and the occupied membrane. We derive analytically the probability density, and correspondingly the length scale, for MinD attachment zones. Our simple analytical model illustrates the processes giving rise to the observed localization of cellular MinD zones.

Journal
Phys Rev Lett
Volume
93
Issue
22
Pages
228103
Date Published
11/2004
Alternate Journal
Phys. Rev. Lett.