A divIVA null mutant of Staphylococcus aureus undergoes normal cell division

DivIVA is involved in placement of the division septum and chromosome segregation in Bacillus subtilis and it plays important roles in cell division or morphogenesis in diverse Gram-positive bacteria. In Staphylococcus aureus, DivIVA is localized at the division septum, but it does not colocalize with the chromosomal origin of replication, as labeled with SpoOJ protein. Unexpectedly, a divlVA null mutant is not impaired in growth, nor is it affected in chromosome segregation or cell morphology. (C) 2004 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.