This entry represents a bacterial equivalent to Intermediate Filament proteins, named crescentin, whose cytoskeletal function is required for the vibrioid and helical shapes of Caulobacter crescentus. Without crescentin, the cells adopt a straight-rod morphology. Crescentin has characteristic features of IF proteins including the ability to assemble into filaments in vitro without energy or cofactor requirements. In vivo, crescentin forms a helical structure that colocalizes with the inner cell curvatures beneath the cytoplasmic membrane.
Jiyao W et al.(2023). "The conserved domain database in 2023.",