High Abundance of Transcription Regulators Compacts the Nucleoid in Escherichia coli
Cihan Yilmaz, Karin Schnetz
Abstract
The bacterial nucleoid is a highly organized and dynamic structure for simultaneous transcription, replication, and segregation of the bacterial genome. Compaction of the nucleoid and disturbance of DNA segregation and cell division by artificially high levels of transcription regulators, as described here, reveals that an excess of DNA-binding protein disturbs nucleoid structuring. The results suggest that ectopic expression levels of DNA-binding proteins for genetic studies of their function but also for their purification should be carefully controlled and adjusted.
Topics & Concepts
NucleoidBiologyTranscription (linguistics)Cell biologyChromatinDNATranscription factorEctopic expressionEscherichia coliGeneticsGenePhilosophyLinguisticsBacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyBacteriophages and microbial interactionsAntibiotic Resistance in Bacteria