Thymine-starvation-induced chromosomal fragmentation is not required for thymineless death in Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Thymine or thymidine starvation induces robust chromosomal fragmentation in Escherichia coli thyA deoCABD mutants and is proposed to be the cause of thymineless death (TLD). However, fragmentation kinetics challenges the idea that fragmentation causes TLD, by peaking before the onset of TLD and disappearing by the time TLD accelerates. Quantity and kinetics of fragmentation also stay unchanged in hyper-TLD-exhibiting recBCD mutant, making its faster and deeper TLD independent of fragmentation as well. Elimination of fragmentation without affecting cellular metabolism did not abolish TLD in the thyA mutant, but reduced early TLD in the thyA recBCD mutant, suggesting replication-dependent, but undetectable by pulsed-field gel, double-strand breaks contributed to TLD. Chromosomal fragmentatio

SUBMITTER: Khan SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11574965 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature