Subcellular positioning of the origin region of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome is independent of sequences within oriC, the site of replication initiation, and the replication initiator DnaA. 2007

Melanie B Berkmen, and Alan D Grossman
Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.

Regions of bacterial chromosomes occupy characteristic locations within the cell. In Bacillus subtilis, the origin of replication, oriC, is located at 0 degrees /360 degrees on the circular chromosome. After duplication, sister 0 degrees regions rapidly move to and then reside near the cell quarters. It has been hypothesized that origin function or oriC sequences contribute to positioning and movement of the 0 degrees region. We found that the position of a given chromosomal region does not depend on initiation of replication from the 0 degrees region. In an oriC mutant strain that replicates from a heterologous origin (oriN) at 257 degrees , the position of both the 0 degrees and 257 degrees regions was similar to that in wild-type cells. Thus, positioning of chromosomal regions appears to be independent of which region is replicated first. Furthermore, we found that neither oriC sequences nor the replication initiator DnaA is required or sufficient for positioning a region near the cell quarters. A sequence within oriC previously proposed to play a critical role in chromosome positioning and partitioning was found to make little, if any, contribution. We propose that uncharacterized sites outside of oriC are involved in moving and/or maintaining the 0 degrees region near the cell quarters.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002876 Chromosomes, Bacterial Structures within the nucleus of bacterial cells consisting of or containing DNA, which carry genetic information essential to the cell. Bacterial Chromosome,Bacterial Chromosomes,Chromosome, Bacterial
D004268 DNA-Binding Proteins Proteins which bind to DNA. The family includes proteins which bind to both double- and single-stranded DNA and also includes specific DNA binding proteins in serum which can be used as markers for malignant diseases. DNA Helix Destabilizing Proteins,DNA-Binding Protein,Single-Stranded DNA Binding Proteins,DNA Binding Protein,DNA Single-Stranded Binding Protein,SS DNA BP,Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Protein,Binding Protein, DNA,DNA Binding Proteins,DNA Single Stranded Binding Protein,DNA-Binding Protein, Single-Stranded,Protein, DNA-Binding,Single Stranded DNA Binding Protein,Single Stranded DNA Binding Proteins
D004269 DNA, Bacterial Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of bacteria. Bacterial DNA
D001412 Bacillus subtilis A species of gram-positive bacteria that is a common soil and water saprophyte. Natto Bacteria,Bacillus subtilis (natto),Bacillus subtilis subsp. natto,Bacillus subtilis var. natto
D001426 Bacterial Proteins Proteins found in any species of bacterium. Bacterial Gene Products,Bacterial Gene Proteins,Gene Products, Bacterial,Bacterial Gene Product,Bacterial Gene Protein,Bacterial Protein,Gene Product, Bacterial,Gene Protein, Bacterial,Gene Proteins, Bacterial,Protein, Bacterial,Proteins, Bacterial
D013347 Subcellular Fractions Components of a cell produced by various separation techniques which, though they disrupt the delicate anatomy of a cell, preserve the structure and physiology of its functioning constituents for biochemical and ultrastructural analysis. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p163) Fraction, Subcellular,Fractions, Subcellular,Subcellular Fraction
D015964 Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Any of the processes by which cytoplasmic or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action in bacteria. Bacterial Gene Expression Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression, Bacterial,Regulation, Gene Expression, Bacterial
D051738 Origin Recognition Complex The origin recognition complex is a multi-subunit DNA-binding protein that initiates DNA REPLICATION in eukaryotes. ORC1 Protein,ORC2 Protein,ORC3 Protein,ORC4 Protein,ORC5 Protein,ORC6 Protein,Origin Recognition Complex Proteins,Origin Recognition Complex, Subunit 1,Origin Recognition Complex, Subunit 2,Origin Recognition Complex, Subunit 3,Origin Recognition Complex, Subunit 4,Origin Recognition Complex, Subunit 5,Origin Recognition Complex, Subunit 6
D018741 Replication Origin A unique DNA sequence of a replicon at which DNA REPLICATION is initiated and proceeds bidirectionally or unidirectionally. It contains the sites where the first separation of the complementary strands occurs, a primer RNA is synthesized, and the switch from primer RNA to DNA synthesis takes place. (Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed) Origin of Replication,ori Region,Origin, Replication,Origins, Replication,Region, ori,Regions, ori,Replication Origins,ori Regions

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