In addition to the well-known rods and cocci, more exotic shapes such as stars, mustaches, serpentines, and branches represent a large, although undefined, proportion ( Young, 2006 Kysela et al., 2016). The variation of bacterial cell shapes is often underappreciated. Here, we review the molecular determinants underlying morphology, discuss the evidence linking bacterial morphology to niche adaptation and pathogenesis, and examine the potential of morphological determinants as antimicrobial targets. Accumulating evidence supports critical roles of morphogenetic processes in bacteria-host interactions, including pathogenesis. Some morphological determinants act as a cytoskeleton to guide biosynthetic complexes spatiotemporally, whereas others modify the PG sacculus after biosynthesis. The species-specific shape of the PG sacculus at any time in the cell cycle is the product of multiple determinants. Bacterial morphology is ultimately dictated by the net-like peptidoglycan (PG) sacculus. Although the characteristic shape of a bacterial species remains unchanged for vast numbers of generations, periodical variations occur throughout the cell (division) and life cycles, and these variations can be influenced by environmental conditions. Shape affects critical biological functions, including nutrient acquisition, motility, dispersion, stress resistance and interactions with other organisms. Specific shapes are the consequence of adaptive pressures optimizing bacterial fitness.
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