Transient inhibition of cell division in competent pneumococcal cells results from deceleration of the septal peptidoglycan complex
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Membrane protein ComM transiently inhibits cell division during the development of the competence state in the pathogenic bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae , but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here we show that, in competent cells, ComM moves together with, and reduces the speed of, septal peptidoglycan synthetic complex FtsW:PBP2x. ComM directly interacts with the putative FtsW:PBP2x activator DivIB, and overproduction of DivIB counteracts FtsW:PBP2x deceleration along the cell division delay in competent cells. Our results support a model in which ComM reduces septal peptidoglycan synthesis by interfering with DivIB activity during competence in S. pneumoniae .
