DNA condensation in live E. coli provides evidence for transertion

Anil K Gorle; Amy L Bottomley; Elizabeth J Harry; J Grant Collins; F Richard Keene; Clifford E Woodward

doi:10.1039/c6mb00753h

DNA condensation in live E. coli provides evidence for transertion

Mol Biosyst. 2017 Mar 28;13(4):677-680. doi: 10.1039/c6mb00753h.

Authors

Anil K Gorle¹, Amy L Bottomley², Elizabeth J Harry², J Grant Collins¹, F Richard Keene³, Clifford E Woodward¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia. g.collins@adfa.edu.au c.woodward@adfa.edu.au.
² The ithree institute, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
³ Centre for Biodiscovery & Molecular Development of Therapeutics, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia and School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5066, Australia. richard.keene@adelaide.edu.au.

PMID: 28232991
DOI: 10.1039/c6mb00753h

Abstract

Condensation studies of chromosomal DNA in E. coli with a tetranuclear ruthenium complex are carried out and images obtained with wide-field fluorescence microscopy. Remarkably different condensate morphologies resulted, depending upon the treatment protocol. The occurrence of condensed nucleoid spirals in live bacteria provides evidence for the transertion hypothesis.

MeSH terms

Chromosomes, Bacterial* / drug effects
DNA, Bacterial* / drug effects
Escherichia coli / drug effects
Escherichia coli / genetics*
Escherichia coli / metabolism
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Organometallic Compounds / chemistry
Organometallic Compounds / pharmacology
Ribosomes / metabolism
Ruthenium / chemistry

Substances

DNA, Bacterial
Organometallic Compounds
Ruthenium