Synthetic developmental regulator MciZ targets FtsZ across Bacillus species and inhibits bacterial division

What is it about?

Bacterial cell division is organized on a ring formed by the FtsZ protein at the division site. The division machinery is a target for new antibiotics and it is subject to many physiological regulators. Among them, the small protein MciZ is produced during sporulation of Bacillus subtilis and inhibits FtsZ assembly in the mother cell. We show how MciZ is recognized by FtsZ and that synthetic MciZ specifically inhibits cell division, sporulation and spore germination. We have also found that MciZ impairs division of pathogenic B. cereus and B. anthracis and when expressed into Staphlyococcus aureus cells.

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