Control of division gene expression in Escherichia coli

Abstract Duplication of the Escherichia coli bacterial cell culminates in the formation of a division septum that splits the progenitor cell into two identical daughter cells. Invagination of the cell envelope is brought about by the co-ordinated interplay of a family of septation-specific proteins that act locally at mid-cell at a specific time in the cell cycle. The majority of the genes known to be required for septum formation are found within the large mra cluster located at 2 min on the E. coli genetic map (nucleotides 89 552–107 474). Examination of the controls exerted on the mra operon shows that E. coli uses an extraordinary range of strategies to co-ordinate the expression of the cell division genes with respect to each other and to the cell cycle.