Toward a Comparative Systems Biology of the Alphaproteobacterial Cell Cycle

This chapter outlines how important properties of the bacterial cell cycle arose during evolution, and how it has been integrated to sustain different lifestyles in different niches. The circuits controlling the cell cycle not only set the pace of cell division but also actively influence the global response of the bacterial cell to its environment. Possibly because of this key role in cellular organization, certain mechanisms have evolved to specifically respond to different needs dictated by the different ecological niches occupied by the alphaproteobacteria. In addition, RNA and protein synthesis act in a balance to control essential cell cycle functions and differentiation.