Distinct heterochromatin-like domains promote transcriptional memory and silence parasitic genetic elements in bacteria.

ABSTRACT: There is increasing evidence that prokaryotes maintain chromosome structure, which in turn impacts gene expression. We recently characterized densely occupied, multi-kilobase regions in the E. coli genome that are transcriptionally silent, similar to eukaryotic heterochromatin. These extended protein occupancy domains (EPODs) span genomic regions containing genes encoding metabolic pathways as well as parasitic elements such as prophages. Here, we investigate the contributions of nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) to the structuring of these domains, by examining the impacts of deleting NAPs on EPODs genome-wide in E. coli and B. subtilis. We identify key NAPs contributing to the silencing of specific EPODs, whose deletion opens a chromosomal region for RNA polymerase binding at genes con

SUBMITTER: Amemiya HM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8804932 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature