Does RNA polymerase help drive chromosome segregation in bacteria?

Identification of gene targets that potentiate the action of rifampicin on Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Tuberculosis (TB) caused by bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex remains one of the most important infectious diseases of mankind. Rifampicin is a first line drug used in multi-drug treatment of TB, however, the necessary duration of treatment with these drugs is long and development of resistance is an increasing impediment to treatment programmes. As a result, there is a requirement for research and development of new TB drugs, which can form the basis of new drug combinations, either due to their own anti-mycobacterial activity or by augmenting the activity of existing drugs such as rifampicin. This study describes a TnSeq analysis to identify mutants with enhanced sensitivity to sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of rifampicin. The rifampicin-sensitive mutants were disrupted in genes of a variety of functions and the majority fitted into three thematic groups: firstly, genes that were involved in DNA/RNA metabolism, secondly, genes involved in sensing and regulating mycobacterial cellular systems, and thirdly, genes involved in the synthesis and maintenance of the cell wall. Selection at two concentrations of rifampicin (1/250 and 1/62 MIC) demonstrated a dose response for mutants with statistically significant sensitivity to rifampicin. The dataset reveals mechanisms of how mycobacteria are innately tolerant to and initiate an adaptive response to rifampicin; providing putative targets for the development of adjunctive therapies that potentiate the action of rifampicin.

Three factors ParA, TipN, and DnaA-mediated chromosome replication initiation are contributors of centromere segregation in Caulobacter crescentus

The ability of bacteria to maintain chromosomal integrity throughout their life cycle is crucial for survival. In Caulobacter crescentus, the polar factor TipN has been proposed to be involved with the partitioning system ParABS. Cells with tipN knocked out display subtle segregation defects of the centromere-like region parS. We hypothesized that TipN's role with parS segregation is obscured by other forces that are ParABS-independent. To test our hypothesis, we removed one of those forces - chromosome replication - and analyzed the role of TipN with ParA. We first confirm that ParA retains its ability to transport the centromeric region parS from the stalked pole to the opposite pole in the absence of chromosome replication. Our data revealed that in the absence of chromosome replication, TipN becomes essential for ParA's ability to transport parS. Furthermore, we identify a potential connection between the replication initiator DnaA and TipN. Although TipN is not essential for viability, tipN knockout cells lose viability when the regulation of DnaA levels is altered. Our data suggest that the DnaA-dependent susceptibility of tipN knockout cells is connected to parS segregation. Collectively, this work provides insights into the complex regulation involved in the coordination of chromosome replication and segregation in bacteria.

TipN's involvement with centromere segregation in Caulobacter crescentus

Bacteria's ability to maintain chromosomal integrity throughout their life cycle is crucial for their survival. In Caulobacter crescentus, the polar factor TipN has been proposed to be involved with the partitioning system ParABS. However, cells with tipN knocked out display subtle parS segregation defects. We hypothesized that TipN's role with parS segregation is obscured by other forces that are ParABS-independent. To test our hypothesis, we removed one of those forces - chromosome replication - and analyzed the role of TipN with ParA. We first demonstrate that ParA retains its ability to transport the centromeric region parS from the stalked pole to the opposite pole in the absence of chromosome replication. Our data revealed that in the absence of chromosome replication, TipN becomes essential for ParA's ability to transport parS. Furthermore, we identify a potential connection between the replication initiator DnaA and TipN. Although TipN is not essential for viability, tipN knockout cells lose viability when the regulation of DnaA levels is altered. Our data suggest that the DnaA-dependent susceptibility of tipN knockout cells is connected to parS segregation. Collectively, this work provides insights into the complex regulation involved in the coordination of chromosome replication and segregation in bacteria.

The cell cycle of Staphylococcus aureus: An updated review

As bacteria proliferate, DNA replication, chromosome segregation, cell wall synthesis, and cytokinesis occur concomitantly and need to be tightly regulated and coordinated. Although these cell cycle processes have been studied for decades, several mechanisms remain elusive, specifically in coccus-shaped cells such as Staphylococcus aureus. In recent years, major progress has been made in our understanding of how staphylococci divide, including new, fundamental insights into the mechanisms of cell wall synthesis and division site selection. Furthermore, several novel proteins and mechanisms involved in the regulation of replication initiation or progression of the cell cycle have been identified and partially characterized. In this review, we will summarize our current understanding of the cell cycle processes in the spheroid model bacterium S. aureus, with a focus on recent advances in the understanding of how these processes are regulated.

Chromosome Segregation in Bacillus subtilis Follows an Overall Pattern of Linear Movement and Is Highly Robust against Cell Cycle Perturbations

We have followed the segregation of origin regions on the Bacillus subtilis chromosome in the fastest practically achievable temporal manner, for a large fraction of the cell cycle. We show that segregation occurred in highly variable patterns but overall in an almost linear manner throughout the cell cycle. Segregation was slowed down, but not arrested, by treatment of cells that led to transient blocks in DNA replication, showing that segregation is highly robust against cell cycle perturbation. Computer simulations based on entropy-driven separation of newly synthesized DNA polymers can recapitulate sudden bursts of movement and segregation patterns compatible with the observed in vivo patterns, indicating that for Bacillus, segregation patterns may include entropic forces helping to separate chromosomes during the cell cycle.

Although several proteins have been identified that facilitate chromosome segregation in bacteria, no clear analogue of the mitotic machinery in eukaryotic cells has been identified. In order to investigate if recognizable patterns of segregation exist during the cell cycle, we tracked the segregation of duplicated origin regions in Bacillus subtilis for 60 min in the fastest practically achievable resolution, achieving 10-s intervals. We found that while separation occurred in random patterns, often including backwards movement, overall, segregation of loci near the origins of replication was linear for the entire cell cycle. Thus, the process of partitioning can be best described as directed motion. Simulations with entropy-driven separation of polymers synthesized by two polymerases show sudden bursts of movement and segregation patterns compatible with the observed in vivo patterns, showing that for Bacillus, segregation patterns can be modeled based on entropic forces. To test if obstacles for replication forks lead to an alteration of the partitioning pattern, we challenged cells with chemicals inducing DNA damage or blocking of topoisomerase activity. Both treatments led to a moderate slowing down of separation, but linear segregation was retained, showing that chromosome segregation is highly robust against cell cycle perturbation.

IMPORTANCE We have followed the segregation of origin regions on the Bacillus subtilis chromosome in the fastest practically achievable temporal manner, for a large fraction of the cell cycle. We show that segregation occurred in highly variable patterns but overall in an almost linear manner throughout the cell cycle. Segregation was slowed down, but not arrested, by treatment of cells that led to transient blocks in DNA replication, showing that segregation is highly robust against cell cycle perturbation. Computer simulations based on entropy-driven separation of newly synthesized DNA polymers can recapitulate sudden bursts of movement and segregation patterns compatible with the observed in vivo patterns, indicating that for Bacillus, segregation patterns may include entropic forces helping to separate chromosomes during the cell cycle.

Antibacterial mechanism of rhodomyrtone involves the disruption of nucleoid segregation checkpoint in Streptococcus suis

Rhodomyrtone has been recently demonstrated to possess a novel antibiotic mechanism of action against Gram-positive bacteria which involved the multiple targets, resulting in the interference of several bacterial biological processes including the cell division. The present study aims to closely look at the downstream effect of rhodomyrtone treatment on nucleoid segregation in Streptococcus suis, an important zoonotic pathogen. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of rhodomyrtone against the recombinant S. suis ParB-GFP, a nucleoid segregation reporter strain, were 0.5 and 1 µg/ml, respectively, which were equivalent to the potency of vancomycin. Using the fluorescence live-cell imaging, we demonstrated that rhodomyrtone at 2× MIC caused incomplete nucleoid segregation and septum misplacement, leading to the generation of anucleated cells. FtsZ immune-staining of rhodomyrtone-treated S. suis for 30 min revealed that the large amount of FtsZ was trapped in the region of high fluidity membrane and appeared to be able to polymerize to form a complete Z-ring. However, the Z-ring was shifted away from the midcell. Transmission electron microscopy further confirmed the disruption of nucleoid segregation and septum misplacement at 120 min following the rhodomyrtone treatment. Asymmetric septum formation resulted in either generation of minicells without nucleoid, septum formed over incomplete segregated nucleoid (guillotine effect), or formation of multi-constriction of Z-ring within a single cell. This finding spotlights on antibacterial mechanism of rhodomyrtone involves the early stage in bacterial cell division process.

Spo0J and SMC are required for normal chromosome segregation in Staphylococcus aureus

Bacterial chromosome segregation is an essential cellular process that is particularly elusive in spherical bacteria such as the opportunistic human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, we examined the functional significance of a ParB homologue, Spo0J, in staphylococcal chromosome segregation and investigated the role of the structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) bacterial condensin in this process. We show that neither spo0J nor smc is essential in S. aureus; however, their absence causes abnormal chromosome segregation. We demonstrate that formation of complexes containing Spo0J and SMC is required for efficient S. aureus chromosome segregation and that SMC localization is dependent on Spo0J. Furthermore, we found that cell division and cell cycle progression are unaffected by the absence of spo0J or smc. Our results verify the role of Spo0J and SMC in ensuring accurate staphylococcal chromosome segregation and also imply functional redundancy or the involvement of additional mechanisms that might contribute to faithful chromosome inheritance.

Two-step chromosome segregation in the stalked budding bacterium Hyphomonas neptunium

Chromosome segregation typically occurs after replication has finished in eukaryotes but during replication in bacteria. Here, we show that the alphaproteobacterium Hyphomonas neptunium, which proliferates by bud formation at the tip of a stalk-like cellular extension, segregates its chromosomes in a unique two-step process. First, the two sister origin regions are targeted to opposite poles of the mother cell, driven by the ParABS partitioning system. Subsequently, once the bulk of chromosomal DNA has been replicated and the bud exceeds a certain threshold size, the cell initiates a second segregation step during which it transfers the stalk-proximal origin region through the stalk into the nascent bud compartment. Thus, while chromosome replication and segregation usually proceed concurrently in bacteria, the two processes are largely uncoupled in H. neptunium, reminiscent of eukaryotic mitosis. These results indicate that stalked budding bacteria have evolved specific mechanisms to adjust chromosome segregation to their unusual life cycle.

A novel nucleoid-associated protein coordinates chromosome replication and chromosome partition

We searched for regulators of chromosome replication in the cell cycle model Caulobacter crescentus and found a novel DNA-binding protein (GapR) that selectively aids the initiation of chromosome replication and the initial steps of chromosome partitioning. The protein binds the chromosome origin of replication (Cori) and has higher-affinity binding to mutated Cori-DNA that increases Cori-plasmid replication in vivo. gapR gene expression is essential for normal rapid growth and sufficient GapR levels are required for the correct timing of chromosome replication. Whole genome ChIP-seq identified dynamic DNA-binding distributions for GapR, with the strongest associations at the partitioning (parABS) locus near Cori. Using molecular-genetic and fluorescence microscopy experiments, we showed that GapR also promotes the first steps of chromosome partitioning, the initial separation of the duplicated parS loci following replication from Cori. This separation occurs before the parABS-dependent partitioning phase. Therefore, this early separation, whose mechanisms is not known, coincides with the poorly defined mechanism(s) that establishes chromosome asymmetry: C. crescentus chromosomes are partitioned to distinct cell-poles which develop into replicating and non-replicating cell-types. We propose that GapR coordinates chromosome replication with asymmetry-establishing chromosome separation, noting that both roles are consistent with the phylogenetic restriction of GapR to asymmetrically dividing bacteria.

Protein depletion using the arabinose promoter in Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri

Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (X. citri) is a plant pathogen and the etiological agent of citrus canker, a severe disease that affects all the commercially important citrus varieties, and has worldwide distribution. Citrus canker cannot be healed, and the best method known to control the spread of X. citri in the orchards is the eradication of symptomatic and asymptomatic plants in the field. However, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, the main orange producing area in the world, control is evolving to an integrated management system (IMS) in which growers have to use less susceptible plants, windshields to prevent bacterial spread out and sprays of cupric bactericidal formulations. Our group has recently proposed alternative methods to control citrus canker, which are based on the use of chemical compounds able to disrupt vital cellular processes of X. citri. An important step in this approach is the genetic and biochemical characterization of genes/proteins that are the possible targets to be perturbed, a task not always simple when the gene/protein under investigation is essential for the organism. Here, we describe vectors carrying the arabinose promoter that enable controllable protein expression in X. citri. These vectors were used as complementation tools for the clean deletion of parB in X. citri, a widespread and conserved gene involved in the essential process of bacterial chromosome segregation. Overexpression or depletion of ParB led to increased cell size, which is probably a resultant of delayed chromosome segregation with subsequent retard of cell division. However, ParB is not essential in X. citri, and in its absence the bacterium was fully competent to colonize the host citrus and cause disease. The arabinose expression vectors described here are valuable tools for protein expression, and especially, to assist in the deletion of essential genes in X. citri.

Design and Assembly of DNA Sequence Libraries for Chromosomal Insertion in Bacteria Based on a Set of Modified MoClo Vectors

Efficient assembly of large DNA constructs is a key technology in synthetic biology. One of the most popular assembly systems is the MoClo standard in which restriction and ligation of multiple fragments occurs in a one-pot reaction. The system is based on a smart vector design and type IIs restriction enzymes, which cut outside their recognition site. While the initial MoClo vectors had been developed for the assembly of multiple transcription units of plants, some derivatives of the vectors have been developed over the last years. Here we present a new set of MoClo vectors for the assembly of fragment libraries and insertion of constructs into bacterial chromosomes. The vectors are accompanied by a computer program that generates a degenerate synthetic DNA sequence that excludes "forbidden" DNA motifs. We demonstrate the usability of the new approach by construction of a stable fluorescence repressor operator system (FROS).

Probing Chromosome Dynamics in Bacillus subtilis

Research over the last two decades has revealed that bacterial genomes are, in fact, highly organized. The goal of future research is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial chromosome architecture and dynamics during the cell cycle. Here we discuss techniques that can be used with live cells to analyze chromosome structure and segregation in the gram-positive model organism Bacillus subtilis.

Omega (ParB) binding sites together with the RNA polymerase-recognized sequence are essential for centromeric functions of the Pωregion in the partition system of pSM19035

Partition systems contribute to stable plasmid inheritance in bacteria through the active separation of DNA molecules to daughter cells, and the centromeric sequence located either upstream or downstream of canonical partition operons plays an important role in this process. A specific DNA-binding protein binds to this sequence and interacts with the motor NTPase protein to form a nucleoprotein complex. The inc18-family plasmid pSM19035 is partitioned by products of δ and ω genes, with δ encoding a Walker-type ATPase and ω encoding a DNA-binding protein. As the two genes are transcribed separately, this system differs from others in its organization; nonetheless, expression of these genes is regulated by Omega, which also regulates the copy number of the plasmid (by controlling copS gene expression). Protein Omega specifically recognizes WATCACW heptad repeats. In this study, we constructed a synthetic δω operon to enable an analysis of the centromeric functions of Omega-binding sites Pδ, Pω and PcopS, discrete from their promoter functions. Our results show that these three regions do not support plasmid stabilization equally. We demonstrate that the Pω site alone can simultaneously drive the expression of partition genes from the synthetic δω operon and act as a unique centromeric sequence to promote the most efficient plasmid partitioning. Moreover, Pω can support the centromeric function in concert with the synthetic δω operon expressed from a heterologous promoter demonstrating that Pω is the main centromeric sequence of the δ-ω partition system. Additionally, the RNA polymerase-recognized sequence in Pω is essential for its centromeric function.

Characterization of chromosomal and megaplasmid partitioning loci in Thermus thermophilus HB27

Background

In low-copy-number plasmids, the partitioning loci (par) act to ensure proper plasmid segregation and copy number maintenance in the daughter cells. In many bacterial species, par gene homologues are encoded on the chromosome, but their function is much less understood. In the two-replicon, polyploid genome of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus, both the chromosome and the megaplasmid encode par gene homologues (parABc and parABm, respectively). The mode of partitioning of the two replicons and the role of the two Par systems in the replication, segregation and maintenance of the genome copies are completely unknown in this organism.

Results

We generated a series of chromosomal and megaplasmid par mutants and sGFP reporter strains and analyzed them with respect to DNA segregation defects, genome copy number and replication origin localization. We show that the two ParB proteins specifically bind their cognate centromere-like sequences parS, and that both ParB-parS complexes localize at the cell poles. Deletion of the chromosomal parAB genes did not apparently affect the cell growth, the frequency of cells with aberrant nucleoids, or the chromosome and megaplasmid replication. In contrast, deletion of the megaplasmid parAB operon or of the parB gene was not possible, indicating essentiality of the megaplasmid-encoded Par system. A mutant expressing lower amounts of ParABm showed growth defects, a high frequency of cells with irregular nucleoids and a loss of a large portion of the megaplasmid. The truncated megaplasmid could not be partitioned appropriately, as interlinked megaplasmid molecules (catenenes) could be detected, and the ParBm-parSm complexes in this mutant lost their polar localization.

Conclusions

We show that in T. thermophilus the chromosomal par locus is not required for either the chromosomal or megaplasmid bulk DNA replication and segregation. In contrast, the megaplasmid Par system of T. thermophilus is needed for the proper replication and segregation of the megaplasmid, and is essential for its maintenance. The two Par sets in T. thermophilus appear to function in a replicon-specific manner. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis of Par systems in a polyploid bacterium.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1523-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The dynamics of the RNA world: insights and challenges

The RNA world hypothesis of the origin of life, in which RNA emerged as both enzyme and information carrier, is receiving solid experimental support. The prebiotic synthesis of biomolecules, the catalytic aid offered by mineral surfaces, and the vast enzymatic repertoire of ribozymes are only pieces of the origin of life puzzle; the full picture can only emerge if the pieces fit together by either following from one another or coexisting with each other. Here, we review the theory of the origin, maintenance, and enhancement of the RNA world as an evolving population of dynamical systems. The dynamical view of the origin of life allows us to pinpoint the missing and the not fitting pieces: (1) How can the first self-replicating ribozyme emerge in the absence of template-directed information replication? (2) How can nucleotide replicators avoid competitive exclusion despite utilizing the very same resources (nucleobases)? (3) How can the information catastrophe be avoided? (4) How can enough genes integrate into a cohesive system in order to transition to a cellular stage? (5) How can the way information is stored and metabolic complexity coevolve to pave to road leading out of the RNA world to the present protein-DNA world?

Systems and synthetic biology approaches to cell division

Cells proliferate by division into similar daughter cells, a process that lies at the heart of cell biology. Extensive research on cell division has led to the identification of the many components and control elements of the molecular machinery underlying cellular division. Here we provide a brief review of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell division and emphasize how new approaches such as systems and synthetic biology can provide valuable new insight.

ParABS system in chromosome partitioning in the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus

Chromosome segregation is an essential cellular function in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. The ParABS system is a fundamental player for a mitosis-like process in chromosome partitioning in many bacterial species. This work shows that the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus also uses the ParABS system for chromosome segregation. Its large prokaryotic genome of 9.1 Mb contains 22 parS sequences near the origin of replication, and it is shown here that M. xanthus ParB binds preferentially to a consensus parS sequence in vitro. ParB and ParA are essential for cell viability in M. xanthus as in Caulobacter crescentus, but unlike in many other bacteria. Absence of ParB results in anucleate cells, chromosome segregation defects and loss of viability. Analysis of ParA subcellular localization shows that it clusters at the poles in all cells, and in some, in the DNA-free cell division plane between two chromosomal DNA masses. This ParA localization pattern depends on ParB but not on FtsZ. ParB inhibits the nonspecific interaction of ParA with DNA, and ParA colocalizes with chromosomal DNA only when ParB is depleted. The subcellular localization of ParB suggests a single ParB-parS complex localized at the edge of the nucleoid, next to a polar ParA cluster, with a second ParB-parS complex migrating after the replication of parS takes place to the opposite nucleoid edge, next to the other polar ParA cluster.

How to get (a)round: mechanisms controlling growth and division of coccoid bacteria

Bacteria come in a range of shapes, including round, rod-shaped, curved and spiral cells. This morphological diversity implies that different mechanisms exist to guide proper cell growth, division and chromosome segregation. Although the majority of studies on cell division have focused on rod-shaped cells, the development of new genetic and cell biology tools has provided mechanistic insight into the cell cycles of bacteria with different shapes, allowing us to appreciate the underlying molecular basis for their morphological diversity. In this Review, we discuss recent progress that has advanced our knowledge of the complex mechanisms for chromosome segregation and cell division in bacteria which have, deceptively, the simplest possible shape: the cocci.

Evidence for two different regulatory mechanisms linking replication and segregation of vibrio cholerae chromosome II

Understanding the mechanisms that coordinate replication initiation with subsequent segregation of chromosomes is an important biological problem. Here we report two replication-control mechanisms mediated by a chromosome segregation protein, ParB2, encoded by chromosome II of the model multichromosome bacterium, Vibrio cholerae. We find by the ChIP-chip assay that ParB2, a centromere binding protein, spreads beyond the centromere and covers a replication inhibitory site (a 39-mer). Unexpectedly, without nucleation at the centromere, ParB2 could also bind directly to a related 39-mer. The 39-mers are the strongest inhibitors of chromosome II replication and they mediate inhibition by binding the replication initiator protein. ParB2 thus appears to promote replication by out-competing initiator binding to the 39-mers using two mechanisms: spreading into one and direct binding to the other. We suggest that both these are novel mechanisms to coordinate replication initiation with segregation of chromosomes.

Replication and segregation are the two main processes that maintain chromosomes in growing cells. In eukaryotes, the two processes are restricted to distinct phases of the cell cycle. In bacteria, segregation follows replication initiation with a modest lag. Influences of one process on the other have been postulated. The act of replication has been suggested to provide a motive force in chromosome segregation. Moreover, segregation proteins (ParA) have been found to interact with and control the replication initiator, DnaA. Here we show that in V. cholerae chromosome II, which is believed to have originated from a plasmid, a centromere binding protein (ParB) could control replication by two distinct mechanisms: spreading from a centromeric site into the replication-control region, and direct binding to the primary replication-control site, which has limited homology to the centromeric site. These studies establish that Par proteins can influence replication by at least three mechanisms. Homologous Par proteins participate in plasmid segregation but they are not known to influence plasmid replication. The expanded role of Par proteins appears likely to have been warranted to coordinate chromosomal replication and segregation with the cell cycle, which appears less of an issue in plasmid maintenance.

Physical manipulation of the Escherichia coli chromosome reveals its soft nature

Replicating bacterial chromosomes continuously demix from each other and segregate within a compact volume inside the cell called the nucleoid. Although many proteins involved in this process have been identified, the nature of the global forces that shape and segregate the chromosomes has remained unclear because of limited knowledge of the micromechanical properties of the chromosome. In this work, we demonstrate experimentally the fundamentally soft nature of the bacterial chromosome and the entropic forces that can compact it in a crowded intracellular environment. We developed a unique "micropiston" and measured the force-compression behavior of single Escherichia coli chromosomes in confinement. Our data show that forces on the order of 100 pN and free energies on the order of 10(5) k(B)T are sufficient to compress the chromosome to its in vivo size. For comparison, the pressure required to hold the chromosome at this size is a thousand-fold smaller than the surrounding turgor pressure inside the cell. Furthermore, by manipulation of molecular crowding conditions (entropic forces), we were able to observe in real time fast (approximately 10 s), abrupt, reversible, and repeatable compaction-decompaction cycles of individual chromosomes in confinement. In contrast, we observed much slower dissociation kinetics of a histone-like protein HU from the whole chromosome during its in vivo to in vitro transition. These results for the first time provide quantitative, experimental support for a physical model in which the bacterial chromosome behaves as a loaded entropic spring in vivo.

Membrane protein expression triggers chromosomal locus repositioning in bacteria

It has long been hypothesized that subcellular positioning of chromosomal loci in bacteria may be influenced by gene function and expression state. Here we provide direct evidence that membrane protein expression affects the position of chromosomal loci in Escherichia coli. For two different membrane proteins, we observed a dramatic shift of their genetic loci toward the membrane upon induction. In related systems in which a cytoplasmic protein was produced, or translation was eliminated by mutating the start codon, a shift was not observed. Antibiotics that block transcription and translation similarly prevented locus repositioning toward the membrane. We also found that repositioning is relatively rapid and can be detected at positions that are a considerable distance on the chromosome from the gene encoding the membrane protein (>90 kb). Given that membrane protein-encoding genes are distributed throughout the chromosome, their expression may be an important mechanism for maintaining the bacterial chromosome in an expanded and dynamic state.

Prokaryotic ParA-ParB-parS system links bacterial chromosome segregation with the cell cycle

While the essential role of episomal par loci in plasmid DNA partitioning has long been appreciated, the function of chromosomally encoded par loci is less clear. The chromosomal parA-parB genes are conserved throughout the bacterial kingdom and encode proteins homologous to those of the plasmidic Type I active partitioning systems. The third conserved element, the centromere-like sequence called parS, occurs in several copies in the chromosome. Recent studies show that the ParA-ParB-parS system is a key player of a mitosis-like process ensuring proper intracellular localization of certain chromosomal regions such as oriC domain and their active and directed segregation. Moreover, the chromosomal par systems link chromosome segregation with initiation of DNA replication and the cell cycle.

Escherichia coli sister chromosome separation includes an abrupt global transition with concomitant release of late-splitting intersister snaps

The basis for segregation of sister chromosomes in bacteria is not established. We show here that two discrete ~150-kb regions, both located early in the right replichore, exhibit prolonged juxtaposition of sister loci, for 20 and 30 min, respectively, after replication. Flanking regions, meanwhile, separate. Thus, the two identified regions comprise specialized late-splitting intersister connections or snaps. Sister snap loci separate simultaneously in both snap regions, concomitant with a major global nucleoid reorganization that results in emergence of a bilobed nucleoid morphology. Split snap loci move rapidly apart to a separation distance comparable with one-half the length of the nucleoid. Concomitantly, at already split positions, sister loci undergo further separation to a comparable distance. The overall consequence of these and other effects is that thus far replicated sister chromosomes become spatially separated (individualized) into the two nucleoid lobes, while the terminus region (and likely, all unreplicated portions of the chromosome) moves to midcell. These and other findings imply that segregation of Escherichia coli sister chromosomes is not a smooth continuous process but involves at least one and likely, two major global transition(s). The presented patterns further suggest that accumulation of internal intranucleoid forces and constraining of these forces by snaps play central roles in global chromosome dynamics. They are consistent with and supportive of our previous proposals that individualization of sisters in E. coli is driven primarily by internally generated pushing forces and is directly analogous to sister individualization at the prophase to prometaphase transition of the eukaryotic cell cycle.

Actin on DNA-an ancient and dynamic relationship

In the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells the coordinated assembly of actin filaments drives essential cell biological processes, such as cell migration. The discovery of prokaryotic actin homologues, as well as the appreciation of the existence of nuclear actin, have expanded the scope by which the actin family is utilized in different cell types. In bacteria, actin has been implicated in DNA movement tasks, while the connection with the RNA polymerase machinery appears to exist in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Within the nucleus, actin has further been shown to play a role in chromatin remodeling and RNA processing, possibly acting to link these to transcription, thereby facilitating the gene expression process. The molecular mechanism by which actin exerts these newly discovered functions is still unclear, because while polymer formation seems to be required in bacteria, these species lack conventional actin-binding proteins to regulate the process. Furthermore, although the nucleus contains a plethora of actin-regulating factors, the polymerization status of actin within this compartment still remains unclear. General theme, however, seems to be actin's ability to interact with numerous binding partners. A common feature to the novel modes of actin utilization is the connection between actin and DNA, and here we aim to review the recent literature to explore how this connection is exploited in different contexts.

Independent segregation of the two arms of the Escherichia coli ori region requires neither RNA synthesis nor MreB dynamics

The mechanism of Escherichia coli chromosome segregation remains elusive. We present results on the simultaneous tracking of segregation of multiple loci in the ori region of the chromosome in cells growing under conditions in which a single round of replication is initiated and completed in the same generation. Loci segregated as expected for progressive replication-segregation from oriC, with markers placed symmetrically on either side of oriC segregating to opposite cell halves at the same time, showing that sister locus cohesion in the origin region is local rather than extensive. We were unable to observe any influence on segregation of the proposed centromeric site, migS, or indeed any other potential cis-acting element on either replication arm (replichore) in the AB1157 genetic background. Site-specific inhibition of replication close to oriC on one replichore did not prevent segregation of loci on the other replichore. Inhibition of RNA synthesis and inhibition of the dynamic polymerization of the actin homolog MreB did not affect ori and bulk chromosome segregation.

Bacterial chromosome organization and segregation

Bacterial chromosomes are generally approximately 1000 times longer than the cells in which they reside, and concurrent replication, segregation, and transcription/translation of this crowded mass of DNA poses a challenging organizational problem. Recent advances in cell-imaging technology with subdiffraction resolution have revealed that the bacterial nucleoid is reliably oriented and highly organized within the cell. Such organization is transmitted from one generation to the next by progressive segregation of daughter chromosomes and anchoring of DNA to the cell envelope. Active segregation by a mitotic machinery appears to be common; however, the mode of chromosome segregation varies significantly from species to species.

Cell cycle coordination and regulation of bacterial chromosome segregation dynamics by polarly localized proteins

What regulates chromosome segregation dynamics in bacteria is largely unknown. Here, we show in Caulobacter crescentus that the polarity factor TipN regulates the directional motion and overall translocation speed of the parS/ParB partition complex by interacting with ParA at the new pole. In the absence of TipN, ParA structures can regenerate behind the partition complex, leading to stalls and back-and-forth motions of parS/ParB, reminiscent of plasmid behaviour. This extrinsic regulation of the parS/ParB/ParA system directly affects not only division site selection, but also cell growth. Other mechanisms, including the pole-organizing protein PopZ, compensate for the defect in segregation regulation in ΔtipN cells. Accordingly, synthetic lethality of PopZ and TipN is caused by severe chromosome segregation and cell division defects. Our data suggest a mechanistic framework for adapting a self-organizing oscillator to create motion suitable for chromosome segregation.

Entropy as the driver of chromosome segregation

We present a new physical biology approach to understanding the relationship between the organization and segregation of bacterial chromosomes. We posit that replicated Escherichia coli daughter strands will spontaneously demix as a result of entropic forces, despite their strong confinement within the cell; in other words, we propose that entropy can act as a primordial physical force which drives chromosome segregation under the right physical conditions. Furthermore, proteins implicated in the regulation of chromosome structure and segregation may in fact function primarily in supporting such an entropy-driven segregation mechanism by regulating the physical state of chromosomes. We conclude that bacterial chromosome segregation is best understood in terms of spontaneous demixing of daughter strands. Our concept may also have important implications for chromosome segregation in eukaryotes, in which spindle-dependent chromosome movement follows an extended period of sister chromatid demixing and compaction.

Caulobacter chromosome segregation is an ordered multistep process

Despite its fundamental nature, bacterial chromosome segregation remains poorly understood. Viewing segregation as a single process caused multiple proposed mechanisms to appear in conflict and failed to explain how asymmetrically dividing bacteria break symmetry to move only one of their chromosomes. Here, we demonstrate that the ParA ATPase extends from one cell pole and pulls the chromosome by retracting upon association with the ParB DNA-binding protein. Surprisingly, ParA disruption has a specific effect on chromosome segregation that only perturbs the latter stages of this process. Using quantitative high-resolution imaging, we demonstrate that this specificity results from the multistep nature of chromosome translocation. We propose that Caulobacter chromosome segregation follows an ordered pathway of events with distinct functions and mechanisms. Initiation releases polar tethering of the origin of replication, distinction spatially differentiates the two chromosomes, and commitment irreversibly translocates the distal centromeric locus. Thus, much as eukaryotic mitosis involves a sequence of distinct subprocesses, Caulobacter cells also segregate their chromosomes through an orchestrated series of steps. We discuss how the multistep view of bacterial chromosome segregation can help to explain and reconcile outstanding puzzles and frame future investigation.

Dynamics of bacterial cytoskeletal elements

Bacterial cytoskeletal elements are involved in an astonishing spectrum of cellular functions, from cell shape determination to cell division, plasmid segregation, the positioning of membrane-associated proteins and membrane structures, and other aspects of bacterial physiology. Interestingly, these functions are not necessarily conserved, neither between different bacterial species nor between bacteria and eukaryotic cells. The flexibility of cytoskeletal elements in performing different tasks is amazing and emphasises their very early development during evolution. This review focuses on the dynamics of cytoskeletal elements from bacteria.

Towards building a chromosome segregation machine

All organisms, from bacteria to humans, face the daunting task of replicating, packaging and segregating up to two metres (about 6 x 10(9) base pairs) of DNA when each cell divides. This task is carried out up to a trillion times during the development of a human from a single fertilized cell. The strategy by which DNA is replicated is now well understood. But when it comes to packaging and segregating a genome, the mechanisms are only beginning to be understood and are often as variable as the organisms in which they are studied.

Co-orientation of replication and transcription preserves genome integrity

In many bacteria, there is a genome-wide bias towards co-orientation of replication and transcription, with essential and/or highly-expressed genes further enriched co-directionally. We previously found that reversing this bias in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis slows replication elongation, and we proposed that this effect contributes to the evolutionary pressure selecting the transcription-replication co-orientation bias. This selection might have been based purely on selection for speedy replication; alternatively, the slowed replication might actually represent an average of individual replication-disruption events, each of which is counter-selected independently because genome integrity is selected. To differentiate these possibilities and define the precise forces driving this aspect of genome organization, we generated new strains with inversions either over ∼1/4 of the chromosome or at ribosomal RNA (rRNA) operons. Applying mathematical analysis to genomic microarray snapshots, we found that replication rates vary dramatically within the inverted genome. Replication is moderately impeded throughout the inverted region, which results in a small but significant competitive disadvantage in minimal medium. Importantly, replication is strongly obstructed at inverted rRNA loci in rich medium. This obstruction results in disruption of DNA replication, activation of DNA damage responses, loss of genome integrity, and cell death. Our results strongly suggest that preservation of genome integrity drives the evolution of co-orientation of replication and transcription, a conserved feature of genome organization.

An important feature of genome organization is that transcription and replication are selectively co-oriented. This feature helps to avoid conflicts between head-on replication and transcription. The precise consequences of the conflict and how it affects genome organization remain to be understood. We previously found that reversing the transcription bias slows replication in the Bacillus subtilis genome. Here we engineered new inversions to avoid changes in other aspects of genome organization. We found that the reversed transcription bias is sufficient to decrease replication speed, and it results in lowered fitness of the inversion strains and a competitive disadvantage relative to wild-type cells in minimal medium. Further, by analyzing genomic copy-number snapshots to obtain replication speed as a function of genome position, we found that inversion of the strongly-transcribed rRNA genes obstructs replication during growth in rich medium. This confers a strong growth disadvantage to cells in rich medium, turns on DNA damage responses, and leads to cell death in a subpopulation of cells, while the surviving cells are more sensitive to genotoxic agents. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that evolution has favored co-orientation of transcription with replication, mainly to avoid these effects.

Partial penetrance facilitates developmental evolution in bacteria

Development normally occurs similarly in all individuals within an isogenic population, but mutations often affect the fates of individual organisms differently. This phenomenon, known as partial penetrance, has been observed in diverse developmental systems. However, it remains unclear how the underlying genetic network specifies the set of possible alternative fates and how the relative frequencies of these fates evolve. Here we identify a stochastic cell fate determination process that operates in Bacillus subtilis sporulation mutants and show how it allows genetic control of the penetrance of multiple fates. Mutations in an intercompartmental signalling process generate a set of discrete alternative fates not observed in wild-type cells, including rare formation of two viable 'twin' spores, rather than one within a single cell. By genetically modulating chromosome replication and septation, we can systematically tune the penetrance of each mutant fate. Furthermore, signalling and replication perturbations synergize to significantly increase the penetrance of twin sporulation. These results suggest a potential pathway for developmental evolution between monosporulation and twin sporulation through states of intermediate twin penetrance. Furthermore, time-lapse microscopy of twin sporulation in wild-type Clostridium oceanicum shows a strong resemblance to twin sporulation in these B. subtilis mutants. Together the results suggest that noise can facilitate developmental evolution by enabling the initial expression of discrete morphological traits at low penetrance, and allowing their stabilization by gradual adjustment of genetic parameters.

Active transcription of rRNA operons condenses the nucleoid in Escherichia coli: examining the effect of transcription on nucleoid structure in the absence of transertion

In Escherichia coli the genome must be compacted approximately 1,000-fold to be contained in a cellular structure termed the nucleoid. It is proposed that the structure of the nucleoid is determined by a balance of multiple compaction forces and one major expansion force. The latter is mediated by transertion, a coupling of transcription, translation, and translocation of nascent membrane proteins and/or exported proteins. In supporting this notion, it has been shown consistently that inhibition of transertion by the translation inhibitor chloramphenicol results in nucleoid condensation due to the compaction forces that remain active in the cell. Our previous study showed that during optimal growth, RNA polymerase is concentrated into transcription foci or "factories," analogous to the eukaryotic nucleolus, indicating that transcription and RNA polymerase distribution affect the nucleoid structure. However, the interpretation of the role of transcription in the structure of the nucleoid is complicated by the fact that transcription is implicated in both compacting forces and the expansion force. In this work, we used a new approach to further examine the effect of transcription, specifically from rRNA operons, on the structure of the nucleoid, when the major expansion force was eliminated. Our results showed that transcription is necessary for the chloramphenicol-induced nucleoid compaction. Further, an active transcription from multiple rRNA operons in chromosome is critical for the compaction of nucleoid induced by inhibition of translation. All together, our data demonstrated that transcription of rRNA operons is a key mechanism affecting genome compaction and nucleoid structure.

The conserved sporulation protein YneE inhibits DNA replication in Bacillus subtilis

Cells of Bacillus subtilis triggered to sporulate under conditions of rapid growth undergo a marked decrease in chromosome copy number, which was partially relieved by a mutation in the sporulation-induced gene yneE. Cells engineered to express yneE during growth were impaired in viability and produced anucleate cells. We conclude that YneE is an inhibitor of DNA replication.

The organization of the bacterial genome

Many bacterial cellular processes interact intimately with the chromosome. Such interplay is the major driving force of genome structure or organization. Interactions take place at different scales-local for gene expression, global for replication-and lead to the differentiation of the chromosome into organizational units such as operons, replichores, or macrodomains. These processes are intermingled in the cell and create complex higher-level organizational features that are adaptive because they favor the interplay between the processes. The surprising result of selection for genome organization is that gene repertoires change much more quickly than chromosomal structure. Comparative genomics and experimental genomic manipulations are untangling the different cellular and evolutionary mechanisms causing such resilience to change. Since organization results from cellular processes, a better understanding of chromosome organization will help unravel the underlying cellular processes and their diversity.

Caulobacter requires a dedicated mechanism to initiate chromosome segregation

Chromosome segregation in bacteria is rapid and directed, but the mechanisms responsible for this movement are still unclear. We show that Caulobacter crescentus makes use of and requires a dedicated mechanism to initiate chromosome segregation. Caulobacter has a single circular chromosome whose origin of replication is positioned at one cell pole. Upon initiation of replication, an 8-kb region of the chromosome containing both the origin and parS moves rapidly to the opposite pole. This movement requires the highly conserved ParABS locus that is essential in Caulobacter. We use chromosomal inversions and in vivo time-lapse imaging to show that parS is the Caulobacter site of force exertion, independent of its position in the chromosome. When parS is moved farther from the origin, the cell waits for parS to be replicated before segregation can begin. Also, a mutation in the ATPase domain of ParA halts segregation without affecting replication initiation. Chromosome segregation in Caulobacter cannot occur unless a dedicated parS guiding mechanism initiates movement.

SpoIIIE strips proteins off the DNA during chromosome translocation

The FtsK/SpoIIIE family of DNA transporters are responsible for translocating missegregated chromosomes after the completion of cell division. An extreme example of this post-cytokinetic DNA segregation occurs during spore formation in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, where SpoIIIE pumps three-quarters of the chromosome (>3 megabases) into one of the two daughter cells. Here, we investigate the fate of the proteins associated with the translocated DNA. Taking advantage of several unique features of Bacillus sporulation, we demonstrate that RNA polymerase, transcription factors, and chromosome remodeling proteins are stripped off the DNA during translocation of the chromosome into the forespore compartment. Furthermore, we show that in vitro the soluble ATPase domain of SpoIIIE can displace RNA polymerase bound to DNA, suggesting that SpoIIIE alone is capable of this wire-stripping activity. Our data suggest that the bulk of the forespore chromosome is translocated naked into the forespore compartment. We propose that the translocation-stripping activity of SpoIIIE plays a key role in reprogramming developmental gene expression in the forespore.

Bacterial growth and cell division: a mycobacterial perspective

The genus Mycobacterium is best known for its two major pathogenic species, M. tuberculosis and M. leprae, the causative agents of two of the world's oldest diseases, tuberculosis and leprosy, respectively. M. tuberculosis kills approximately two million people each year and is thought to latently infect one-third of the world's population. One of the most remarkable features of the nonsporulating M. tuberculosis is its ability to remain dormant within an individual for decades before reactivating into active tuberculosis. Thus, control of cell division is a critical part of the disease. The mycobacterial cell wall has unique characteristics and is impermeable to a number of compounds, a feature in part responsible for inherent resistance to numerous drugs. The complexity of the cell wall represents a challenge to the organism, requiring specialized mechanisms to allow cell division to occur. Besides these mycobacterial specializations, all bacteria face some common challenges when they divide. First, they must maintain their normal architecture during and after cell division. In the case of mycobacteria, that means synthesizing the many layers of complex cell wall and maintaining their rod shape. Second, they need to coordinate synthesis and breakdown of cell wall components to maintain integrity throughout division. Finally, they need to regulate cell division in response to environmental stimuli. Here we discuss these challenges and the mechanisms that mycobacteria employ to meet them. Because these organisms are difficult to study, in many cases we extrapolate from information known for gram-negative bacteria or more closely related GC-rich gram-positive organisms.

Chromosome segregation in Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis, a Gram-positive bacterium commonly found in soil, is an excellent model organism for the study of basic cell processes, such as cell division and cell differentiation, called sporulation. In B. subtilis the essential genetic information is carried on a single circular chromosome, the correct segregation of which is crucial for both vegetative growth and sporulation. The proper completion of life cycle requires each daughter cell to obtain identical genetic information. The consequences of inaccurate chromosome segregation can lead to formation of anucleate cells, cells with two chromosomes, or cells with incomplete chromosomes. Although bacteria miss the classical eukaryotic mitotic apparatus, the chromosome segregation is undeniably an active process tightly connected to other cell processes as DNA replication and compaction. To fully understand the chromosome segregation, it is necessary to study this process in a wider context and to examine the role of different proteins at various cell life cycle stages. The life cycle of B. subtilis is characteristic by its specific cell differentiation process where, two slightly different segregation mechanisms exist, specialized in vegetative growth and in sporulation.

Cell cycle regulation in Caulobacter: location, location, location

Cellular reproduction in all organisms requires temporal and spatial coordination of crucial events, notably DNA replication, chromosome segregation and cytokinesis. Recent studies on the dimorphic bacterium Caulobacter crescentus (Caulobacter) highlight mechanisms by which positional information is integrated with temporal modes of cell cycle regulation. Caulobacter cell division is inherently asymmetric, yielding progeny with different fates: stalked cells and swarmer cells. Cell type determinants in stalked progeny promote entry into S phase, whereas swarmer progeny remain in G1 phase. Moreover, initiation of DNA replication is allowed only once per cell cycle. This finite window of opportunity is imposed by coordinating spatially constrained proteolysis of CtrA, an inhibitor of DNA replication initiation, with forward progression of the cell cycle. Positional cues are equally important in coordinating movement of the chromosome with cell division site selection in Caulobacter. The chromosome is specifically and dynamically localized over the course of the cell cycle. As the duplicated chromosomes are partitioned, factors that restrict assembly of the cell division protein FtsZ associate with a chromosomal locus near the origin, ensuring that the division site is located towards the middle of the cell.

Cytoskeletal elements in bacteria

All cytoskeletal elements known from eukaryotic cells are also present in bacteria, where they perform vital tasks in many aspects of the physiology of the cell. Bacterial tubulin (FtsZ), actin (MreB), and intermediate filament (IF) proteins are key elements in cell division, chromosome and plasmid segregation, and maintenance of proper cell shape, as well as in maintenance of cell polarity and assembly of intracellular organelle-like structures. Although similar tasks are performed by eukaryotic cytoskeletal elements, the individual functions of FtsZ, MreBs, and IFs are different from those performed by their eukaryotic orthologs, revealing a striking evolutional plasticity of cytoskeletal proteins. However, similar to the functions of their eukaryotic counterparts, the functions conferred by bacterial cytoskeletal proteins are driven by their ability to form dynamic filamentous structures. Therefore, the cytoskeleton was a prokaryotic invention, and additional bacteria-specific cytoskeletal elements, such as fibril and MinD-type ATPases, that confer various functions in cell morphology and during the cell cycle have been observed in prokaryotes. The investigation of these elements will give fundamental information for all types of cells and can reveal the molecular mode of action of cytoskeletal, filament-forming proteins.

Functional taxonomy of bacterial hyperstructures

The levels of organization that exist in bacteria extend from macromolecules to populations. Evidence that there is also a level of organization intermediate between the macromolecule and the bacterial cell is accumulating. This is the level of hyperstructures. Here, we review a variety of spatially extended structures, complexes, and assemblies that might be termed hyperstructures. These include ribosomal or "nucleolar" hyperstructures; transertion hyperstructures; putative phosphotransferase system and glycolytic hyperstructures; chemosignaling and flagellar hyperstructures; DNA repair hyperstructures; cytoskeletal hyperstructures based on EF-Tu, FtsZ, and MreB; and cell cycle hyperstructures responsible for DNA replication, sequestration of newly replicated origins, segregation, compaction, and division. We propose principles for classifying these hyperstructures and finally illustrate how thinking in terms of hyperstructures may lead to a different vision of the bacterial cell.