Hypothesis: membrane domains and hyperstructures control bacterial division.

The mechanism responsible for creating the division site in the right place at the right time in bacteria is unknown. It has been attributed to the formation of proteolipid domains in the cytoplasmic membrane surrounding the nucleoids. We interpret the growing evidence for this hypothesis by invoking hyperstructures, which exist at a level of organization intermediate between macromolecules and genes. Non-equilibrium hyperstructures comprise the genes, mRNA proteins and lipids required for a particular function such as cell division, and assemble and disassemble according to the needs of the cell.