Escherichia coli DNA replication: the old model organism still holds many surprises

Abstract Research on Escherichia coli DNA replication paved the groundwork for many breakthrough discoveries with important implications for our understanding of human molecular biology, due to the high level of conservation of key molecular processes involved. To this day, it attracts a lot of atte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEMS microbiology reviews 2024-06, Vol.48 (4)
Main Authors: Łazowski, Krystian, Woodgate, Roger, Fijalkowska, Iwona J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accuracy
Antibiotic resistance
Conserved sequence
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
DNA biosynthesis
DNA damage
DNA Repair
DNA Replication
DNA, Bacterial - genetics
DNA, Bacterial - metabolism
E coli
Electron microscopy
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli - genetics
Escherichia coli - metabolism
Escherichia coli - physiology
Fidelity
Gene sequencing
Image resolution
Molecular biology
Replication
Resistance factors
Review
Whole genome sequencing
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Summary:Abstract Research on Escherichia coli DNA replication paved the groundwork for many breakthrough discoveries with important implications for our understanding of human molecular biology, due to the high level of conservation of key molecular processes involved. To this day, it attracts a lot of attention, partially by virtue of being an important model organism, but also because the understanding of factors influencing replication fidelity might be important for studies on the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Importantly, the wide access to high-resolution single-molecule and live-cell imaging, whole genome sequencing, and cryo-electron microscopy techniques, which were greatly popularized in the last decade, allows us to revisit certain assumptions about the replisomes and offers very detailed insight into how they work. For many parts of the replisome, step-by-step mechanisms have been reconstituted, and some new players identified. This review summarizes the latest developments in the area, focusing on (a) the structure of the replisome and mechanisms of action of its components, (b) organization of replisome transactions and repair, (c) replisome dynamics, and (d) factors influencing the base and sugar fidelity of DNA synthesis. This review provides an updated view on the Escherichia coli replication fork, in particular its structure, dynamics, and factors influencing DNA replication fidelity, based on the latest discoveries enabled by genetic and biochemical approaches, cryo-electron microscopy, live-cell imaging, and whole genome sequencing.
ISSN:1574-6976
0168-6445
1574-6976
DOI:10.1093/femsre/fuae018