Effects of tubulin assembly inhibitors on cell division in prokaryotes in vivo

摘要

The bacterial cell division protein FtsZ is a structural analogue of tubulin. Bacterial mutants in which the ftsZ gene is inactivated are unable to divide. Numerous inhibitors of tubulin assembly are known: some of which are used as fungicides. The strong structural homology between FtsZ and tubulin raises the possibility that some of these inhibitors could affect bacterial cell division. Here we report that the tubulin assembly inhibitors thiabendazole and 2-methylbenzimidazole cause cell elongation in Escherichia coil and cyanobacteria. (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. [References: 17]