identifier: METPO:1000882 label: cell width definition: A phenotype that inheres in a cell by virtue of its shorter dimension when viewed on a plane. definition_source: DOI:10.1146/annurev-cellbio-101011-155745 trait_category: MORPHOLOGY term_kind: CLASS mapping_status: REVIEWED parent_traits: - METPO:1000059 evidence: - reference: DOI:10.1146/annurev-cellbio-101011-155745 snippet: MreB-directed peptidoglycan synthesis notes: Bacterial rod-shape review identifies MreB-directed lateral wall synthesis as the control point governing cell width. - reference: DOI:10.1038/nrmicro3088 snippet: rod-shape is maintained notes: Cell-wall biosynthesis review supports lateral peptidoglycan assembly as the cellular machinery setting rod width. causal_graphs: - graph_id: cell_width_mreb_lateral_wall title: Cell-width control by MreB-directed lateral cell-wall assembly description: DOI-backed graph linking MreB cytoskeletal organization, Rod-complex peptidoglycan synthesis, and turgor-balanced wall mechanics to the observed cell-width phenotype. nodes: - node_id: cell_width_trait label: cell width node_type: TRAIT grounding: METPO:1000882 description: Shorter dimension of the cell body, perpendicular to the long axis. - node_id: mreb_cytoskeleton label: MreB cytoskeleton node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN description: Actin-like MreB filaments that pattern lateral cell-wall synthesis. - node_id: rod_complex_pg label: Rod-complex peptidoglycan synthesis node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS description: MreB-organized peptidoglycan synthesis along the cylindrical wall. - node_id: peptidoglycan_cell_wall label: peptidoglycan cell wall node_type: CELLULAR_LOCALIZATION description: Load-bearing peptidoglycan sacculus that constrains cell shape. grounding: GO:0009274 - node_id: turgor_pressure label: turgor pressure node_type: ENVIRONMENTAL_FACTOR description: Internal hydrostatic pressure pushing against the cell wall. - node_id: apbp_system label: class A PBP (aPBP) cell-wall synthesis system node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS description: Class A penicillin-binding-protein peptidoglycan synthesis system that acts oppositely to the Rod complex to set cell diameter. - node_id: roda_pbp2_synthase label: RodA-PBP2 core synthase node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN description: Essential Rod-complex peptidoglycan synthase (RodA glycosyltransferase with PBP2 transpeptidase) driving lateral elongation. - node_id: mre_accessory_proteins label: Rod-complex accessory proteins MreC/MreD/RodZ node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN description: Accessory components of the Rod complex that regulate RodA-PBP2 enzymatic activity. - node_id: envelope_bending_rigidity label: cell envelope bending rigidity node_type: QUALITY description: Mechanical bending rigidity of the cell envelope that constrains width and its homeostasis. edges: - subject: mreb_cytoskeleton predicate: enables object: rod_complex_pg description: MreB filaments organize Rod-complex peptidoglycan synthesis along the cylinder. evidence: - reference: DOI:10.1146/annurev-cellbio-101011-155745 snippet: MreB-directed peptidoglycan synthesis notes: Supports MreB as the organizer of lateral PG synthesis. predicate_id: RO:0002327 - subject: rod_complex_pg predicate: builds object: peptidoglycan_cell_wall description: Rod-complex peptidoglycan synthesis builds the lateral cylindrical wall. evidence: - reference: DOI:10.1038/nrmicro3088 snippet: rod-shape is maintained notes: Supports lateral PG assembly as the wall-building activity. predicate_id: biolink:produces - subject: peptidoglycan_cell_wall predicate: regulates object: cell_width_trait description: The peptidoglycan sacculus constrains cell width against turgor. evidence: - reference: DOI:10.1038/nrmicro3088 snippet: rod-shape is maintained notes: Supports the cell wall as the structural constraint on width. predicate_id: RO:0002211 - subject: turgor_pressure predicate: balances object: peptidoglycan_cell_wall description: Turgor pressure is mechanically balanced by the peptidoglycan wall, determining the steady-state radius. evidence: - reference: DOI:10.1146/annurev-cellbio-101011-155745 snippet: MreB-directed peptidoglycan synthesis notes: Supports wall mechanics as the determinant of steady-state cell width. - subject: apbp_system predicate: regulates object: cell_width_trait description: Rod and aPBP systems act oppositely to set cell diameter; MreB-directed lateral PG synthesis is the control point governing width. evidence: - reference: DOI:10.3390/biom13050720 notes: Review states Rod and aPBP systems "act oppositely to set B. subtilis cell diameter"; MreB-directed PG synthesis identified as the control point governing cell width. predicate_id: RO:0002211 - subject: roda_pbp2_synthase predicate: enables object: rod_complex_pg description: Activation/open state of the RodA-PBP2 core synthase couples PG polymerization and crosslinking required for elongation-based lateral wall synthesis. evidence: - reference: DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-39037-9 notes: RodA-PBP2 undergoes dynamic exchange between closed and open states; structural opening couples activation of polymerization and crosslinking and is essential in vivo. predicate_id: RO:0002327 - subject: mre_accessory_proteins predicate: regulates object: roda_pbp2_synthase description: Rod-complex accessory components MreC/MreD/RodZ regulate RodA-PBP2 activity and thereby lateral wall synthesis affecting width. evidence: - reference: DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-39037-9 notes: Rod complex has accessory components MreCD and RodZ; genetic studies implicated MreC as a potential regulator of enzymatic activity. predicate_id: RO:0002211 - subject: envelope_bending_rigidity predicate: regulates object: cell_width_trait description: Cell envelope bending rigidity constrains cell width homeostasis; width increases and saturates primarily under the control of envelope bending rigidity. evidence: - reference: DOI:10.1101/2024.11.22.624946 notes: Width increases and saturates primarily under the control of envelope bending rigidity, which constrains width homeostasis. predicate_id: RO:0002211 curation_history: - timestamp: '2026-05-05T01:35:46.918950+00:00' curator: seed_from_metpo action: SEEDED_FROM_METPO changes: imported from data/raw/metpo.owl (CLASS) llm_assisted: false - timestamp: '2026-05-11T22:30:00-07:00' curator: claude action: CURATED_CAUSAL_GRAPH changes: Added DOI-backed causal graph linking MreB cytoskeleton, Rod-complex peptidoglycan synthesis, cell wall, and turgor balance to cell width. llm_assisted: true - timestamp: '2026-05-26T05:00:48Z' curator: claude action: RENAME_PREDICATE_LABELS changes: 'Renamed 2 causal-edge predicate label(s) to align with existing groundings: organizes → enables ×1; constrains → regulates ×1.' llm_assisted: true - timestamp: '2026-05-26T05:00:50Z' curator: claude action: GROUND_CAUSAL_PREDICATES changes: Grounded 2 causal-edge predicate_id field(s) via mappings/predicate_grounding.tsv (RO:0002327×1, RO:0002211×1). llm_assisted: true - timestamp: '2026-06-13T21:03:26Z' curator: claude action: GROUND_CAUSAL_PREDICATES changes: Grounded 1 causal-edge predicate_id field(s) via mappings/predicate_grounding.tsv (biolink:produces×1). llm_assisted: true - timestamp: '2026-06-23T00:00:00Z' curator: claude action: ENRICH_CAUSAL_GRAPH changes: Added 4 evidence-backed generic edges (4 new nodes) from the deep-research report. llm_assisted: true - timestamp: '2026-06-24T17:21:13Z' curator: claude action: GROUND_CAUSAL_PREDICATES changes: Grounded 4 causal-edge predicate_id field(s) via mappings/predicate_grounding.tsv (RO:0002211×3, RO:0002327×1). llm_assisted: true