Abstract

Chromosome organizations of related bacterial genera are well conserved despite a very long divergence period. We have assessed the forces limiting bacterial genome plasticity in Escherichia coli by measuring the respective effect of altering different parameters, including DNA replication, compositional skew of replichores, coordination of gene expression with DNA replication, replication-associated gene dosage, and chromosome organization into macrodomains. Chromosomes were rearranged by large inversions. Changes in the compositional skew of replichores, in the coordination of gene expression with DNA replication or in the replication-associated gene dosage have only a moderate effect on cell physiology because large rearrangements inverting the orientation of several hundred genes inside a replichore are only slightly detrimental. By contrast, changing the balance between the two replication arms has a more drastic effect, and the recombinational rescue of replication forks is required for cell viability when one of the chromosome arms is less than half than the other one. Macrodomain organization also appears to be a major factor restricting chromosome plasticity, and two types of inverted configurations severely affect the cell cycle. First, the disruption of the Ter macrodomain with replication forks merging far from the normal replichore junction provoked chromosome segregation defects. The second major problematic configurations resulted from inversions between Ori and Right macrodomains, which perturb nucleoid distribution and early steps of cytokinesis. Consequences for the control of the bacterial cell cycle and for the evolution of bacterial chromosome configuration are discussed.

Highlights

  • Genomic analyses have revealed that bacterial genomes are dynamic entities that evolve through various processes, including intrachromosome genetic rearrangements, gene duplication, and gene loss or acquisition by lateral gene transfer [1]

  • Multiple forces seem to shape the organization of bacterial chromosomes, and the imprinting of these processes on the chromosome is evident at different levels

  • Genomic analyses have revealed that bacterial genomes are dynamic entities that evolve through various processes including intrachromosome genetic rearrangements, gene duplication, and gene loss or acquisition by gene transfer

Read more

Summary

Chromosome Structuring Limits Genome Plasticity in Escherichia coli

Chromosome organizations of related bacterial genera are well conserved despite a very long divergence period. We have assessed the forces limiting bacterial genome plasticity in Escherichia coli by measuring the respective effect of altering different parameters, including DNA replication, compositional skew of replichores, coordination of gene expression with DNA replication, replication-associated gene dosage, and chromosome organization into macrodomains. Changes in the compositional skew of replichores, in the coordination of gene expression with DNA replication or in the replication-associated gene dosage have only a moderate effect on cell physiology because large rearrangements inverting the orientation of several hundred genes inside a replichore are only slightly detrimental. Macrodomain organization appears to be a major factor restricting chromosome plasticity, and two types of inverted configurations severely affect the cell cycle.

Introduction
Chromosome Limits to Genome Plasticity
Microscopy observations have shown that circular bacterial
Ter Sites Impede Replication Forks with Various Efficiencies
Imbalance of Replication Arms Renders RecBC Essential for Growth
Inversion inside replicore
Intrareplichore Inversions That Disrupt the Ter Macrodomain Are Deleterious
SOS Inductioni
Intrareplichore Inversion That Intermingle Ori and Right MDs Are Detrimental
Materials and Methods
Findings
Supporting information

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.