Regulation of peptidoglycan biosynthesis in Hyphomonas neptunium

The spatial and temporal regulation of peptidoglycan biosynthesis has been studied intensively in well-characterized model organisms such as Escherichia coli and Caulobacter crescentus. To broaden our knowledge of the mechanisms governing bacterial morphogenesis, we have started to investigate the dimorphic marine alphaproteobacterium Hyphomonas neptunium. This Gram-negative species is characterized by a unique mode of proliferation whereby new offspring is generated by the formation of buds at the tip of a stalk that emanates from the mother cell body. The main focus of our studies was the identification of cell wall biosynthetic enzymes and regulatory factors enzymes that are critically involved in stalk and bud biogenesis.