Figure 3

Cell elongation rate and the interval between two divisions are coupled during YgjD depletion. The contour line depicts all combinations of cell elongation rate and interval between divisions that correspond to a cell size doubling before division. Points below the contour line corresponds to cells that divide before they double in size, and whose size thus steadily declines. A) The relationship between the cell elongation rate and the interval between two divisions during YgjD depletion (Movie 2, additional files), and B) for MG1655 (Movie 3, additional files). For YgjD depletion, cell elongation rate starts to decrease from generation 3 on. However, this decrease in cell elongation rate is initially not compensated for by an increase in the interval between two divisions. Points below the contour line correspond to cells that divide before they double in size, and whose size thus steadily declines. The inset lists the result of a non-parametric correlation analysis between 'cell elongation rate' and 'time to division', performed separately for every generation. A negative correlation indicates coupling of the interval between division and the cell elongation rate. For MG1655, the majority of cells cluster around the contour line. C) and D) show the result of the independent contrast correlation analysis for YgjD depletion in TB80, and MG1655 growth. Each point depicts the difference (residual) between two sister cells in the cell elongation rate (horizontal axis) and in the interval between cell divisions (vertical axis). Cells that have a higher elongation rate than their sister tend to have a shorter interval between divisions. The inset lists the result of a non-parametric correlation analysis between 'difference in cell elongation rate' and 'difference in interval between two divisions', performed separately for every generation. Again, negative correlation indicates coupling of the interval between division and the cell elongation rate.