Minicell

In bacteriology, minicells are bacterial cells that are smaller than usual. The first minicells reported were from a strain of Escherichia coli that had a mutation in the Min System that lead to mis-localization of the septum during cell division and the production of cells of random sizes.^[1][2]

Generation of minicells

The first report of minicells in the scientific literature dates to 1930.,^[3] but the first use of the name "minicell" dates to 1967^[2]

Minicells of a variety of gram negative^[4] and gram positive^[5][6] bacteria, including Escherichia coli^[7] and Salmonella enterica,^[8] have been reported, but in principle, minicells could be generated for any bacterial species that can be genetically edited. Minicells can not reproduce because they do not contain a full copy of the genome.^[9]

Normal role of minicells in bacteriology

Scientists hypothesize that minicells are produced by normal bacteria in times of stress so that damaged areas of the cell can be expelled.^[9]

Applications of minicells

Minicells have been extensively used to study ultrastructure of bacteria using electron cryotomography (cryoET).^[10][11][12] Minicells are ideal for cryoET because they are small enough for the electron beam to penetrate in transmission electron microscopy.

Bacterial minicells are being developed as a drug delivery system.^[13][14] Minicells could be used to deliver genetic material to eukaryotic cells for gene editing.^[15] They are also being investigated for vaccine development.^[16]