Time-dependent effects of transcription- and translation-halting drugs on the spatial distributions of the Escherichia coli chromosome and ribosomes.

ABSTRACT: Previously observed effects of rifampicin and chloramphenicol indicate that transcription and translation activity strongly affect the coarse spatial organization of the bacterial cytoplasm. Single-cell, time-resolved, quantitative imaging of chromosome and ribosome spatial distributions and ribosome diffusion in live Escherichia coli provides insight into the underlying mechanisms. Monte Carlo simulations of model DNA-ribosome mixtures support a novel nucleoid-ribosome mixing hypothesis. In normal conditions, 70S-polysomes and the chromosomal DNA segregate, while 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits are able to penetrate the nucleoids. Growth conditions and drug treatments determine the partitioning of ribosomes into 70S-polysomes versus free 30S and 50S subunits. Entropic and excluded volume e

SUBMITTER: Bakshi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4227943 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature