Cell division facilitated by a contractile ring is an almost universal feature across all
branches of cellular life, with the notable exception of higher plants. In all organisms that use …

Division of amoebas, fungi, and animal cells into two daughter cells at the end of the cell
cycle depends on a common set of ancient proteins, principally actin filaments and myosin-II …

The bacterial tubulin FtsZ is the central component of the cell division machinery,
coordinating an ensemble of proteins involved in septal cell wall synthesis to ensure …

Background The determination and regulation of cell morphology are critical components of
cell-cycle control, fitness, and development in both single-cell and multicellular organisms …

Every cell becomes two through a carefully orchestrated process of division. Prior to division,
contractile machinery must first be assembled at the cell midzone to ensure that the cut …

Highlights•Bacterial cell division requires generation of constrictive force.•Membrane-
associated FtsZ can generate force in vitro.•FtsZ-generated force is limited and does not set …

Cells come in a variety of shapes that most often underlie their functions. Regulation of cell
morphogenesis implies that there are mechanisms for shape sensing that still remain poorly …

The shape of walled cells such as fungi, bacteria, and plants are determined by the cell wall.
Models for cell morphogenesis postulate that the effects of turgor pressure and mechanical …

Cell division—cytokinesis—involves large-scale rearrangements of the entire cell. Primarily
driven by cytoskeletal proteins, cytokinesis also depends on topological rearrangements of …

Cytokinesis in fission yeast cells depends on conventional myosin-II (Myo2) to assemble
and constrict a contractile ring of actin filaments. Less is known about the functions of an …