Defining the rate-limiting processes of bacterial cytokinesis

Bacterial cytokinesis is orchestrated by a macromolecular complex termed the divisome. Central to the divisome is a ring-like, polymeric structure, called the FtsZ-ring (Z-ring). The Z-ring may generate a constrictive force analogous to that provided by the eukaryotic actomyosin ring to drive membrane invagination during cytokinesis. By combining single-molecule imaging with genetic manipulations, we found that, unexpectedly, the rate of septum closure in Escherichia coli cells during cytokinesis is robust to many substantial Z-ring perturbations but limited by a specific cell wall synthesis enzyme and further modulated by a physical link between the divisome and chromosome. Our results challenge the long-held Z-ring-centric view of bacterial cytokinesis and support a holistic view of constrictive force generation by the multicomponent divisome.