identifier: METPO:1000685
label: star shaped
definition: A cell shape in which an organism has multiple radiating projections from
  a central body.
definition_source: DOI:10.1146/annurev-cellbio-101011-155745
trait_category: MORPHOLOGY
term_kind: CLASS
mapping_status: REVIEWED
parent_traits:
- METPO:1000666
synonyms:
- synonym_text: S_star_dumbbell_pleomorphic
  synonym_type: RELATED_SYNONYM
  source: metpo.owl
- synonym_text: star
  synonym_type: RELATED_SYNONYM
  source: metpo.owl
- synonym_text: star-shaped
  synonym_type: RELATED_SYNONYM
  source: metpo.owl
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.1146/annurev-cellbio-101011-155745
  snippet: polar growth
  notes: Cell-shape review supports multi-pole peptidoglycan growth as the basis for
    prosthecate or appendaged geometries.
- reference: DOI:10.1146/annurev.micro.061705.103240
  snippet: prosthecate bacteria
  notes: Prosthecate-bacteria review supports star-shaped morphology in Stella/Ancalomicrobium
    and related stalked lineages.
canonical_examples:
- taxon_id: NCBITaxon:1123295
  taxon_label: Stella vacuolata DSM 5901 = ATCC 43931
  note: "Six-pointed star-shaped (flat, multi-pointed) prosthecate bacterium; genus Stella is the textbook star morphology."
  reference: PMID:31395645
causal_graphs:
- graph_id: star_shaped_multiple_prosthecae
  title: Star-shape multiple prosthecae extension
  description: DOI-backed graph linking multi-site polar peptidoglycan growth and
    prostheca outgrowth to a star-shaped cell body with radiating projections.
  nodes:
  - node_id: star_shaped_trait
    label: star shaped
    node_type: TRAIT
    grounding: METPO:1000685
    description: Cell body with multiple radiating projections.
  - node_id: multi_site_polar_pg
    label: multi-site polar peptidoglycan growth
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Polar wall growth initiated at multiple sites on the cell body.
  - node_id: prostheca_outgrowth
    label: prostheca outgrowth
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Outward extension of cytoplasmic projections (prosthecae).
  - node_id: radiating_projections
    label: radiating projections
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Multiple projecting arms emerging from a central cell body.
  - node_id: baca_lmdc_module
    label: BacA-LmdC morphogenesis module
    node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN
    description: Conserved bactofilin (BacA) and M23 endopeptidase (LmdC) functional
      module.
  - node_id: local_pg_remodeling
    label: local peptidoglycan remodeling
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Localized change in the mode of cell-wall biosynthesis and remodeling.
  - node_id: cell_shape_determination
    label: cell shape determination
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Establishment of cell shape in morphologically complex bacteria.
  - node_id: elongasome_restriction
    label: restriction of elongasome movement
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Bactofilin polymers restrict movement of elongasome complexes.
  - node_id: zonal_pg_biosynthesis
    label: peptidoglycan biosynthesis confined to growth zones
    node_type: BIOLOGICAL_PROCESS
    description: Peptidoglycan biosynthesis spatially confined to discrete growth
      zones.
  - node_id: bactofilins
    label: bactofilins
    node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN
    description: Bactofilin cytoskeletal scaffold proteins.
  - node_id: pbpc_prosthecate_pole
    label: PbpC localization at prosthecate pole
    node_type: CELLULAR_LOCALIZATION
    description: Bifunctional penicillin-binding protein PbpC localized to the prosthecate
      pole.
  - node_id: spmx
    label: SpmX
    node_type: GENE_OR_PROTEIN
    description: Developmental regulator co-opted as a morphogen to position prosthecae.
  edges:
  - subject: multi_site_polar_pg
    predicate: regulates
    object: prostheca_outgrowth
    description: Multi-site polar PG growth drives extension of cellular projections.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1146/annurev.micro.061705.103240
      snippet: prosthecate bacteria
      notes: Supports prostheca extension via polar wall growth.
    predicate_id: RO:0002211
  - subject: prostheca_outgrowth
    predicate: produces
    object: radiating_projections
    description: Multiple prosthecae form radiating projections from the cell body.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1146/annurev.micro.061705.103240
      snippet: prosthecate bacteria
      notes: Supports prosthecate morphology in star-shaped lineages.
    predicate_id: METPO:2000202
  - subject: radiating_projections
    predicate: manifests as
    object: star_shaped_trait
    description: Radiating projections manifest the star-shaped trait.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1146/annurev.micro.061705.103240
      snippet: prosthecate bacteria
      notes: Supports the trait endpoint.
    predicate_id: METPO:2007400
  - subject: baca_lmdc_module
    predicate: promotes
    object: local_pg_remodeling
    description: The bactofilin-M23 peptidase module promotes local changes in cell-wall
      biosynthesis.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.7554/eLife.86577.2
      notes: Bactofilins and M23 peptidases form a conserved functional module that
        promotes local changes in the mode of cell wall biosynthesis.
    predicate_id: RO:0002213
  - subject: local_pg_remodeling
    predicate: regulates
    object: cell_shape_determination
    description: Local peptidoglycan remodeling drives cell shape determination.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.7554/eLife.86577.2
      notes: Thereby driving cell shape determination in morphologically complex bacteria.
    predicate_id: RO:0002211
  - subject: elongasome_restriction
    predicate: regulates
    object: zonal_pg_biosynthesis
    description: Restriction of elongasome movement confines peptidoglycan biosynthesis
      to specific growth zones.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.7554/eLife.86577.2
      notes: Bactofilin polymers act as a barrier restricting elongasome movement,
        confining PG biosynthesis to specific growth zones.
    predicate_id: RO:0002211
  - subject: bactofilins
    predicate: localizes
    object: pbpc_prosthecate_pole
    description: Bactofilins localize the bifunctional PBP PbpC to the prosthecate
      pole.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2017.09.012
      notes: In C. crescentus bactofilins localize the bifunctional PBP PbpC to the
        prosthecate pole; conserved prostheca mechanism.
  - subject: pbpc_prosthecate_pole
    predicate: promotes
    object: prostheca_outgrowth
    description: PbpC localization at the prosthecate pole promotes prostheca synthesis.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2017.09.012
      notes: Deletion of PbpC reduces prostheca synthesis, implicating its polar localization
        in prostheca outgrowth.
    predicate_id: RO:0002213
  - subject: spmx
    predicate: regulates
    object: prostheca_outgrowth
    description: SpmX is co-opted as a morphogen to position prosthecae via zonal
      peptidoglycan remodeling.
    evidence:
    - reference: DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2017.09.012
      notes: SpmX co-opted as a morphogen to position prosthecae via zonal peptidoglycan
        remodeling.
    predicate_id: RO:0002211
curation_history:
- timestamp: '2026-05-05T01:35:46.895581+00:00'
  curator: seed_from_metpo
  action: SEEDED_FROM_METPO
  changes: imported from data/raw/metpo.owl (CLASS)
  llm_assisted: false
- timestamp: '2026-05-11T22:45:00-07:00'
  curator: claude
  action: CURATED_CAUSAL_GRAPH
  changes: Added DOI-backed causal graph linking multi-site polar peptidoglycan growth
    and prostheca outgrowth to star-shaped morphology.
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-05-20T03:35:31Z'
  curator: claude
  action: GROUND_CAUSAL_PREDICATES
  changes: Grounded 1 causal-edge predicate_id field(s) via mappings/predicate_grounding.tsv
    (METPO:2000202×1).
  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 1 causal-edge predicate label(s) to align with existing groundings:
    drives → regulates ×1.'
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-05-24T04:13:22Z'
  curator: claude
  action: GROUND_CAUSAL_PREDICATES
  changes: Grounded 1 causal-edge predicate_id field(s) via mappings/predicate_grounding.tsv
    (RO:0002211×1).
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-06-23T00:00:00Z'
  curator: claude
  action: ENRICH_CAUSAL_GRAPH
  changes: Added 6 evidence-backed generic edges (8 new nodes) from the deep-research
    report.
  llm_assisted: true
- timestamp: '2026-06-24T17:21:14Z'
  curator: claude
  action: GROUND_CAUSAL_PREDICATES
  changes: Grounded 5 causal-edge predicate_id field(s) via mappings/predicate_grounding.tsv
    (RO:0002211×3, RO:0002213×2).
  llm_assisted: true