The internal organization of mycobacterial partition assembly: does the DNA wrap a protein core?

Before cell division in many bacteria, the ParBs spread on a large segment of DNA encompassing the origin-proximal parS site(s) to form the partition assembly that participates in chromosome segregation. Little is known about the structural organization of chromosomal partition assembly. We report s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2012-12, Vol.7 (12), p.e52690-e52690
Main Authors: Qian, Shuo, Dean, Rebecca, Urban, Volker S, Chaudhuri, Barnali N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Assembly
Bacteria
Bacterial Proteins - metabolism
Biology
Cell cycle
Cell division
Chromosome Segregation
Chromosomes
Chromosomes, Bacterial
Data analysis
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Deuterium
DNA
DNA, Bacterial - metabolism
Experiments
Genomes
Genomics
Glycerol
Hydrogen
Laboratories
Macromolecular Substances - metabolism
Medicine
Molecular biology
Mycobacterium - genetics
Mycobacterium - metabolism
Neutron scattering
Neutrons
Partitions
Plasmids
RecA protein
Streptococcus infections
Tethering
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Summary:Before cell division in many bacteria, the ParBs spread on a large segment of DNA encompassing the origin-proximal parS site(s) to form the partition assembly that participates in chromosome segregation. Little is known about the structural organization of chromosomal partition assembly. We report solution X-ray and neutron scattering data characterizing the size parameters and internal organization of a nucleoprotein assembly formed by the mycobacterial chromosomal ParB and a 120-meric DNA containing a parS-encompassing region from the mycobacterial genome. The cross-sectional radii of gyration and linear mass density describing the rod-like ParB-DNA assembly were determined from solution scattering. A "DNA outside, protein inside" mode of partition assembly organization consistent with the neutron scattering hydrogen/deuterium contrast variation data is discussed. In this organization, the high scattering DNA is positioned towards the outer region of the partition assembly. The new results presented here provide a basis for understanding how ParBs organize the parS-proximal chromosome, thus setting the stage for further interactions with the DNA condensins, the origin tethering factors and the ParA.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0052690