Membrane heterogeneity created by transertion is a global regulator in bacteria

Abstract

The bacterial membrane is characterized by a heterogeneous distribution of lipids and proteins and of higher level structures termed hyperstructures. The causes of this heterogeneity include lipid-lipid, protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions. The coupling of transcription, translation and insertion of nascent proteins into membrane, transertion, creates large membrane domains that are proposed to be important in the regulation and execution of the cell cycle and in other functions. In describing membrane heterogeneity, we suggest here that transertion is a global regulator coupling metabolism to the cell cycle.