Duplication of the bacterial nucleoid is necessary for cell division hence specific arrest of DNA replication inhibits divisions culminating in filamentation, nucleoid dispersion and appearance of a-nucleated cells. It is demonstrated here that during the first 10 min however, Escherichia coli enhanced residual divisions: the proportion of constricted cells doubled (to 40%), nucleoids contracted and cells remodelled dimensions: length decreased and width increased. The preliminary data provides further support to the existence of temporal and spatial couplings between the nucleoid/replisome and the sacculus/divisome, and is consistent with the idea that bacillary bacteria modulate width during the division process exclusively.
Keywords: DNA replication; cell division and dimensions; nucleoid morphology.