Helical growth of Bacillus subtilis: a new model of cell growth.

Abstract

A multiple mutant of Bacillus subtilis that grows in an unusual double-helix morphology was studied. Construction of models led to the assumption that cell surface elongation must proceed in a helical path in this mutant. The observation that all newly formed double-helix clones propagated, after spore outgrowth in fluid culture, consisted of closed-circular structures suggested that double-helix structures are tension-registered forms.