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<jats:p>In this study, we show that about 20% of the septating <jats:italic>Mycobacterium smegmatis </jats:italic>and<jats:italic> Mycobacterium xenopi</jats:italic> cells in the exponential phase populationdivideasymmetrically, with an unusually high deviation (17 ± 4%) in the division site from the median, to generate short cells and long cells, thereby generating population heterogeneity. This mode of division is very different from the symmetric division of themajority (about 80%) of the septating cells in the <jats:italic>Mycobacterium smegmatis</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Mycobacterium marinum</jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>Mycobacterium bovis</jats:italic> BCG exponential phase population, with 5-10% deviation in the division site from the mid-cell site, as reported by recent studies. The short cells and the long cells further grew and divided to generate a population. We speculate that the generation of the short cells and the long cells through the highly deviated asymmetric divisionin the low proportions of mycobacterial population may have a role in stress tolerance.</jats:p>

Original publication

DOI

10.2174/1874285801408010040

Type

Journal

The Open Microbiology Journal

Publisher

Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.

Publication Date

30/05/2014

Volume

8

Pages

40 - 50