The
Min System is a mechanism composed of three proteins
MinC,
MinD, and MinE used by
E. coli as a means of properly localizing the
septum prior to
cell division. Each component participates in generating a dynamic oscillation of
FtsZ protein inhibition between the two bacterial poles to precisely specify the mid-zone of the cell, allowing the cell to accurately divide in two. This system is known to function in conjunction with a second negative regulatory system, the nucleoid occlusion system (NO), to ensure proper spatial and temporal regulation of chromosomal segregation and division.