MinC Oscillates from Pole to Pole to Ensure Proper Cell Division and Shape.

(Xac) is the causal agent of citrus canker, a disease that affects citrus crops and causes economic impact worldwide. To further characterize cell division in this plant pathogen, we investigated the role of the protein MinC in cell division, chromosome segregation, and peptidoglycan incorporation by deleting the gene using allele exchange. Xac with deleted exhibited the classic Δ phenotype observed in other bacteria deleted for components: minicells and short filamentation. In addition we noticed the formation of branches, which is similar to what was previously described for deleted for either or for several low molecular weight penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). The branching phenotype was medium dependent and probably linked to gluconeogenic growth. We complemented the gene by integrating into the locus. Xac complemented strains displayed a wild-type phenotype. In addition, GFP-MinC oscillated from pole to pole, similar to MinCD oscillations observed in and more recently in . Further investigation of the branching phenotype revealed that in branching cells nucleoid organization, divisome formation and peptidoglycan incorporation were disrupted.