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Free keywords:
ESCHERICHIA-COLI CHROMOSOME; SINGLE-STRANDED-DNA; GENE-REGULATION;
CYTADHERENCE PROTEINS; ATTACHMENT ORGANELLE; SPATIAL-ORGANIZATION;
TOPOLOGICAL DOMAINS; ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY; BACILLUS-SUBTILIS;
CRYSTAL-STRUCTUREScience & Technology - Other Topics;
Abstract:
DNA-binding proteins are central regulators of chromosome organization; however, in genome-reduced bacteria their diversity is largely diminished. Whether the chromosomes of such bacteria adopt defined three-dimensional structures remains unexplored. Here we combine Hi-C and super-resolution microscopy to determine the structure of the Mycoplasma pneumoniae chromosome at a 10 kb resolution. We find a defined structure, with a global symmetry between two arms that connect opposite poles, one bearing the chromosomal Ori and the other the midpoint. Analysis of local structures at a 3 kb resolution indicates that the chromosome is organized into domains ranging from 15 to 33 kb. We provide evidence that genes within the same domain tend to be co-regulated, suggesting that chromosome organization influences transcriptional regulation, and that supercoiling regulates local organization. This study extends the current understanding of bacterial genome organization and demonstrates that a defined chromosomal structure is a universal feature of living systems.
