identifier: METPO:1000678
label: oval shaped
definition: A cell shape characterized by an ellipsoidal morphology with rounded ends,
  resembling an elongated sphere.
definition_source: DOI:10.1089/mdr.2014.0032
trait_category: MORPHOLOGY
term_kind: CLASS
mapping_status: REVIEWED
parent_traits:
- METPO:1000666
synonyms:
- synonym_text: oval-shaped
  synonym_type: RELATED_SYNONYM
  source: metpo.owl
created_by: Anthea Guo
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.1089/mdr.2014.0032
  snippet: ovococci that are ellipsoid
  notes: Supports oval/ellipsoidal morphology as an ovococcal bacterial shape class.
causal_graphs:
- graph_id: oval_shaped_ovococcal_pg_synthesis
  title: Oval-shape ovococcal peptidoglycan mechanism
  description: Evidence-backed causal sketch linking oval morphology to peripheral
    and septal peptidoglycan synthesis, PBP2b-associated elongation, MapZ/FtsZ division
    positioning, and rounded ellipsoidal geometry.
  nodes:
  - node_id: oval_shaped_trait
    label: oval shaped
    node_type: TRAIT
    grounding: METPO:1000678
    description: Rounded ellipsoidal bacterial cell morphology.
  - node_id: peripheral_peptidoglycan_synthesis
    label: peripheral peptidoglycan synthesis
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Peripheral wall synthesis contributing to ovococcal elongation.
  - node_id: septal_peptidoglycan_synthesis
    label: septal peptidoglycan synthesis
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Division-site wall synthesis.
  - node_id: pbp2b
    label: PBP2b
    node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN
    description: Peptidoglycan synthase associated with elongation in ovococci.
    grounding: UniProtKB:A0A892RPK7
  - node_id: mapZ_ftsZ_system
    label: MapZ/FtsZ division-positioning system
    node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN
    description: Proteins involved in positioning and organizing ovococcal division.
  - node_id: ellipsoidal_geometry
    label: ellipsoidal geometry
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Rounded elongated cell-body geometry.
  - node_id: rod_complex_elongasome
    label: Rod complex (elongasome) peptidoglycan synthesis
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Conserved peripheral/sidewall peptidoglycan synthesis machinery (RodA,
      MreC, PBP2b) driving cell elongation.
  - node_id: mreC
    label: MreC
    node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN
    description: Elongasome scaffolding protein required for peripheral peptidoglycan
      synthesis and elongated cell shape.
    grounding: UniProtKB:A0A1L9R356
  - node_id: rodA
    label: RodA
    node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN
    description: SEDS-family peptidoglycan glycosyltransferase of the Rod complex
      driving sidewall/peripheral elongation.
    grounding: UniProtKB:A0A0H2X1V4
  - node_id: division_site_placement
    label: correct septum placement / division-site marking
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Spatial marking and placement of the division site ensuring correct
      septum positioning.
  edges:
  - subject: pbp2b
    predicate: enables
    object: peripheral_peptidoglycan_synthesis
    description: PBP2b supports peripheral peptidoglycan synthesis in ovococcal elongation.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1089/mdr.2014.0032
      snippet: PBP2b of ovococci
      notes: Supports PBP2b as a key ovococcal elongation factor.
    predicate_id: RO:0002327
  - subject: mapZ_ftsZ_system
    predicate: positions
    object: septal_peptidoglycan_synthesis
    description: MapZ/FtsZ positioning organizes the division-associated wall synthesis
      zone.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1016/j.mib.2016.07.014
      snippet: relies on the membrane protein MapZ
      notes: Supports MapZ/FtsZ involvement in S. pneumoniae cell division.
  - subject: peripheral_peptidoglycan_synthesis
    predicate: combines with
    object: septal_peptidoglycan_synthesis
    description: Peripheral and septal synthesis together generate the ovococcal growth
      pattern.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.041
      snippet: dynamics of peptidoglycan assembly
      notes: Supports nanometer-scale PG synthesis dynamics in ovoid bacteria.
  - subject: septal_peptidoglycan_synthesis
    predicate: causes
    object: ellipsoidal_geometry
    description: Coordinated septal and peripheral synthesis shapes an ellipsoidal
      cell body.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1089/mdr.2014.0032
      snippet: ovococci that are ellipsoid
      notes: Supports the ellipsoidal ovococcal morphology endpoint.
    predicate_id: biolink:causes
  - subject: ellipsoidal_geometry
    predicate: manifests as
    object: oval_shaped_trait
    description: Rounded ellipsoidal geometry manifests the oval-shaped trait.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1089/mdr.2014.0032
      snippet: ellipsoid
      notes: Supports oval shape as an ellipsoidal bacterial morphology.
    predicate_id: METPO:2007400
  - subject: peripheral_peptidoglycan_synthesis
    predicate: positively influences
    object: oval_shaped_trait
    description: Peripheral PG synthesis extends the cell prior to septal synthesis,
      producing elongated ovoid geometry.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1128/spectrum.04750-22
      notes: 'Ovococcal division model: "the cell synthesizes peripheral PG alone
        for a short time to extend the cell before septal PG synthesis is initiated".'
  - subject: mreC
    predicate: positively influences
    object: oval_shaped_trait
    description: Loss of mreC yields smaller, more spherical cells, indicating MreC
      promotes elongated ovoid shape.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-38904-9
      notes: '"cells lacking mreC, pbp2B, and rodA appeared smaller and more spherical"
        - MreC supports ovoid elongation.'
  - subject: rodA
    predicate: positively influences
    object: oval_shaped_trait
    description: Loss of rodA yields smaller, more spherical cells, indicating RodA
      promotes elongated ovoid shape.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-38904-9
      notes: '"cells lacking mreC, pbp2B, and rodA appeared smaller and more spherical"
        - RodA supports ovoid elongation.'
  - subject: pbp2b
    predicate: positively influences
    object: oval_shaped_trait
    description: Loss of pbp2B yields smaller, more spherical cells, indicating PBP2b
      promotes elongated ovoid shape.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-38904-9
      notes: '"cells lacking mreC, pbp2B, and rodA appeared smaller and more spherical"
        - PBP2b supports ovoid elongation.'
  - subject: rodA
    predicate: part of
    object: rod_complex_elongasome
    description: RodA together with MreC and PBP2b forms the Rod complex driving peripheral
      elongation PG synthesis.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-38904-9
      notes: mreC, pbp2B, and rodA act together in the elongation machinery whose
        loss makes cells spherical.
    predicate_id: biolink:part_of
  - subject: mapZ_ftsZ_system
    predicate: positively regulates
    object: division_site_placement
    description: MapZ/LocZ mark division sites and ensure correct septum placement.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1042/bsr20221664
      notes: '"MapZ and LocZ are reported as proteins that mark division sites and
        ensure correct septum placement, respectively".'
curation_history:
- timestamp: '2026-05-05T01:35:46.891705+00:00'
  curator: seed_from_metpo
  action: SEEDED_FROM_METPO
  changes: imported from data/raw/metpo.owl (CLASS)
  llm_assisted: false
- timestamp: '2026-05-11T20:05:00-07:00'
  curator: codex
  action: CURATED_WITH_LITERATURE
  changes: Added DOI-backed definition and causal graph for PBP2b, MapZ/FtsZ, peripheral
    and septal peptidoglycan synthesis, and oval cell geometry.
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-05-23T21:30:07Z'
  curator: claude
  action: GROUND_CAUSAL_PREDICATES
  changes: Grounded 1 causal-edge predicate_id field(s) via mappings/predicate_grounding.tsv
    (METPO:2007400×1).
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-05-24T04:13:19Z'
  curator: claude
  action: RENAME_PREDICATE_LABELS
  changes: 'Renamed 2 causal-edge predicate label(s) to align with existing groundings:
    supports → enables ×1; shapes → causes ×1.'
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-05-24T04:13:22Z'
  curator: claude
  action: GROUND_CAUSAL_PREDICATES
  changes: Grounded 2 causal-edge predicate_id field(s) via mappings/predicate_grounding.tsv
    (RO:0002327×1, biolink:causes×1).
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-05-24T05:05:15Z'
  curator: claude
  action: GROUND_CAUSAL_NODES
  changes: Grounded 1 causal-node grounding field(s) via mappings/node_grounding.tsv
    (UniProtKB:A0A892RPK7×1).
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-06-23T00:00:00Z'
  curator: claude
  action: ENRICH_CAUSAL_GRAPH
  changes: Added 6 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 1 causal-edge predicate_id field(s) via mappings/predicate_grounding.tsv
    (biolink:part_of×1).
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-06-26T07:15:19Z'
  curator: claude
  action: GROUND_CAUSAL_NODES
  changes: Grounded 2 causal-node grounding field(s) via mappings/node_grounding.tsv
    (UniProtKB:A0A1L9R356×1, UniProtKB:A0A0H2X1V4×1).
  llm_assisted: true