Biomaterial Database

The control of spatial organization during cellular differentiation. 1994

J Maddock

Department of Developmental Biology, Beckman Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305-5427.

Caulobacter crescentus is a dimorphic bacterium that yields two distinct cell types with every cell division, a motile swarmer cell and a sessile stalked cell. Caulobacter, therefore, possesses a simple developmental program and is used as an model system to determine basic mechanisms of cellular morphogenesis. The generation of the asymmetric predivisional cell requires the temporal expression of many genes as well as the precise intracellular positioning of these gene products. Analysis of the biogenesis and positioning of cell type-specific genes and proteins has been instrumental in understanding the underlying principles as to how asymmetry in the predivisional cell is generated. This manuscript explores our current understanding of the mechanisms by which Caulobacter differentiation is achieved.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002628	Chemoreceptor Cells	Cells specialized to detect chemical substances and relay that information centrally in the nervous system. Chemoreceptor cells may monitor external stimuli, as in TASTE and OLFACTION, or internal stimuli, such as the concentrations of OXYGEN and CARBON DIOXIDE in the blood.	Chemoreceptive Cells,Cell, Chemoreceptive,Cell, Chemoreceptor,Cells, Chemoreceptive,Cells, Chemoreceptor,Chemoreceptive Cell,Chemoreceptor Cell
D004261	DNA Replication	The process by which a DNA molecule is duplicated.	Autonomous Replication,Replication, Autonomous,Autonomous Replications,DNA Replications,Replication, DNA,Replications, Autonomous,Replications, DNA
D005407	Flagella	A whiplike motility appendage present on the surface cells. Prokaryote flagella are composed of a protein called FLAGELLIN. Bacteria can have a single flagellum, a tuft at one pole, or multiple flagella covering the entire surface. In eukaryotes, flagella are threadlike protoplasmic extensions used to propel flagellates and sperm. Flagella have the same basic structure as CILIA but are longer in proportion to the cell bearing them and present in much smaller numbers. (From King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Flagellum
D005408	Flagellin	A protein with a molecular weight of 40,000 isolated from bacterial flagella. At appropriate pH and salt concentration, three flagellin monomers can spontaneously reaggregate to form structures which appear identical to intact flagella.
D005798	Genes, Bacterial	The functional hereditary units of BACTERIA.	Bacterial Gene,Bacterial Genes,Gene, Bacterial
D001426	Bacterial Proteins	Proteins found in any species of bacterium.	Bacterial Gene Products,Bacterial Gene Proteins,Gene Products, Bacterial,Bacterial Gene Product,Bacterial Gene Protein,Bacterial Protein,Gene Product, Bacterial,Gene Protein, Bacterial,Gene Proteins, Bacterial,Protein, Bacterial,Proteins, Bacterial
D015964	Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial	Any of the processes by which cytoplasmic or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action in bacteria.	Bacterial Gene Expression Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression, Bacterial,Regulation, Gene Expression, Bacterial
D016935	Caulobacter crescentus	A species of gram-negative, aerobic bacteria that consist of slender vibroid cells.	Caulobacter vibrioides