Bacterial Transcription Factors and the Cell Cycle

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Background

Analogous to the eukaryotic G1, S and M phase of the cell cycle, the bacterial cell cycle can be classified into independent stages. Slowly growing bacterial cells undergo three different stages, B-, C- and D-phase, respectively, while the cell cycle of fast-growing bacteria involves at least two independent cycles: the chromosome replication and the cell division.

The oscillation in gene expression regulated by transcription factors, and proteolysis mediated by ClpXP, are closely correlated with progression of the cell cycle. Indeed, it has been shown that DnaA couples DNA replication initiation with the expression of the two oscillating regulators GcrA and CtrA, and the DnaA/GcrA/CtrA regulatory cascade drives the forward progression of the Caulobacter cell cycle. Furthermore, it has been found that: the DnaA oscillation in Eschericha coli and Caulobacter crescentus plays an important role in the cell cycle coordination; RpoS in Coxiella regulates the gene expression involved in the developmental cycle; the SigB and SinR transcription factors control whether cells remain in or leave a biofilm responding to metabolic conditions in Bacillus subtilis; similarly, BolA in most Gram-negative bacteria turns off motility and turns on biofilm development as a transcription factor; CtrA regulates cell division and outer membrane composition of the pathogen Brucella abortus; an essential transcription factor SciP enhances robustness of Caulobacter cell cycle regulation.

Interestingly, transcription factors mediated metabolism fluctuations are also related to progression of the cell cycle. It has been shown that: CggR and Cra factors are involved in the flux-signaling metabolite fructose-1,6-bisphosphate; IclR mediates para-hydroxybenzoate catabolism in Streptomyces coelicolor; CceR and AkgR regulate central carbon and energy metabolism in alphaproteobacteria; and these metabolism changes affect cell growth. In line with the argument, AspC-mediated aspartate metabolism coordinates the E. coli cell cycle.

However, the molecular mechanisms of maintaining the proper cell cycle progression through coordination of transcription factors mediated gene transcription oscillation, cellular metabolism with the cell cycle are not yet well-established.

This Research Topic is intended to cover the spectrum of cell cycle regulatory mechanisms, in particular the coordination of transcription factor mediated gene transcription oscillations, and the cellular metabolisms associated with the cell cycle. We welcome all types of articles including Original Research, Review, and Mini Review. The subject areas of interest include but are not limited to:

1. Cell cycle coordination through gene expression and expression oscillation mediated by transcription factors.
2. Regulation of the cell cycle by proteolysis oscillation.
3. Coordination of the cell cycle with metabolism fluctuation.
4. DNA methylation fluctuation and the cell cycle.
5. Novel transcription factors and gene expression patterns associated with the cell cycle.

Keywords: Bacteria, Transcription factors, Transcription oscillation, Metabolism fluctuation, Cell Cycle Coordination

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