Cytoskeletal elements in bacteria.

It has become clear recently that bacteria contain all of the cytoskeletal elements that are found in eukaryotic cells, demonstrating that the cytoskeleton has not been a eukaryotic invention, but evolved early in evolution. Several proteins that are involved in cell division, cell structure and DNA partitioning have been found to form highly dynamic ring structures or helical filaments underneath the cell membrane or throughout the length of the cell. These exciting findings indicate that several highly dynamic processes occur within prokaryotic cells, during growth or differentiation, that are vital for a wide range of cellular tasks.