Project description:Initiation of bacterial DNA replication takes place at the origin of replication (oriC), a region characterized by the presence of multiple DnaA boxes that serve as the binding sites for the master initiator protein DnaA. The absence or failure of DNA replication can result in bacterial cell growth arrest or death. Here, we aimed to uncover the physiological and molecular consequences of stopping replication in the model bacterium Bacillus subtilis. For this purpose, DNA replication was blocked using a CRISPRi approach specifically targeting DnaA boxes 6 and 7, which are essential for replication initiation. We characterized the phenotype of these cells and analyzed the overall changes in the proteome using quantitative mass spectrometry. Cells with arrested replication were elongating and not dividing but showed no evidence of DNA damage response (DDR). Moreover, these cells did not cease translation over time. This study sets the ground for future research on non-replicating but translationally active B. subtilis, which might be valuable for biotechnological applications.
Project description:Hydroxyurea (HU) is thought to primarily target ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), therefore inhibiting the conversion of rNTPs into dNTPs and slowing DNA replication. To understand how Bacillus subtilis responds to HU stress, we performed RNA-seq and Tn-seq.
Project description:Hydroxyurea (HU) is thought to primarily target ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), therefore inhibiting the conversion of rNTPs into dNTPs and slowing DNA replication. To understand how Bacillus subtilis responds to HU stress, we performed RNA-seq and Tn-seq. We obtained genes with fitness defects following hydroxyurea treatment over 3 growth periods.
Project description:overexpressing DnaN did not affect the genomic DNA pattern in a strain that replicated form the plasmid origin of replication oriN and is deleted for the endogenous origin of replication oriC
Project description:RNA-DNA hybrids form throughout the chromosome during normal cell growth and under stress conditions. When left unresolved, RNA-DNA hybrids can slow replication fork progression, cause DNA breaks, increase mutagenesis, and reduce gene expression. To remove hybrids, all organisms use ribonuclease H (RNase H) to specifically degrade the RNA portion of RNA-DNA hybrids. Here we show that, in addition to chromosomally encoded RNase HII and RNase HIII, Bacillus subtilis NCIB 3610 encodes a previously uncharacterized RNase HI protein, RnhP, on the endogenous plasmid pBS32. Like other RNase HI enzymes, RnhP incises Okazaki fragments, ribopatches, and a complementary RNA-DNA hybrid. We show that while chromosomally encoded RNase HIII is required for pBS32 hyper-replication, RnhP compensates for loss of RNase HIII activity on the chromosome. Consequently, loss of RnhP and RNase HIII impairs bacterial growth. We show that the decreased growth rate can be explained by laggard replication fork progression near the terminus region of the right replichore resulting in SOS-dependent inhibition of cell division. We conclude that B. subtilis NCIB 3610 encodes functional RNase HI, HII, and HIII, and pBS32-encoded RNase HI contributes to replication fork progression and chromosome stability while RNase HIII is important for chromosome stability and plasmid hyper-replication.
Project description:RNA-DNA hybrids form throughout the chromosome during normal cell growth and under stress conditions. When left unresolved, RNA-DNA hybrids can slow replication fork progression, cause DNA breaks, increase mutagenesis, and reduce gene expression. To remove hybrids, all organisms use ribonuclease H (RNase H) to specifically degrade the RNA portion of RNA-DNA hybrids. Here we show that, in addition to chromosomally encoded RNase HII and RNase HIII, Bacillus subtilis NCIB 3610 encodes a previously uncharacterized RNase HI protein, RnhP, on the endogenous plasmid pBS32. Like other RNase HI enzymes, RnhP incises Okazaki fragments, ribopatches, and a complementary RNA-DNA hybrid. We show that while chromosomally encoded RNase HIII is required for pBS32 hyper-replication, RnhP compensates for loss of RNase HIII activity on the chromosome. Consequently, loss of RnhP and RNase HIII impairs bacterial growth. We show that the decreased growth rate can be explained by laggard replication fork progression near the terminus region of the right replichore resulting in SOS-dependent inhibition of cell division. We conclude that B. subtilis NCIB 3610 encodes functional RNase HI, HII, and HIII, and pBS32-encoded RNase HI contributes to replication fork progression and chromosome stability while RNase HIII is important for chromosome stability and plasmid hyper-replication.