Bacteria display an abundance of cellular forms and can change shape during their life
cycle. Many plausible models regarding the functional significance of cell morphology have …

First isolated and classified in the 1960s, Caulobacter crescentus has been instrumental in
the study of bacterial cell biology and differentiation. C. crescentus is a Gram-negative …

Some microbes display pleomorphism, showing variable cell shapes in a single culture,
whereas others differentiate to adapt to changed environmental conditions. The pleomorphic …

Conspectus The bacterial cell wall is composed of membrane layers and a rigid yet flexible
scaffold called peptidoglycan (PG). PG provides mechanical strength to enable bacteria to …

Upon nutrient depletion, bacteria stop proliferating and undergo physiological and
morphological changes to ensure their survival. Yet, how these processes are coordinated …

Peptidoglycan is an essential component of the cell wall that protects bacteria from
environmental stress. A carefully coordinated biosynthesis of peptidoglycan during cell …

An ability to sense and respond to changes in extracellular phosphate is critical for the
survival of most bacteria. For Caulobacter crescentus, which typically lives in phosphate …

Cellular differentiation is a fundamental strategy used by cells to generate specialized
functions at specific stages of development. The bacterium Caulobacter crescentus employs …

In recent decades, microbiologists have discovered an astounding disparity of prokaryotic
life. Our field has identified the most anciently divergent prokaryotic lineages, and we have …

Bacterial cell shape is a genetically encoded and inherited feature that is optimized for
efficient growth, survival, and propagation of bacteria. In addition, bacterial cell morphology …