DnaC inactivation in Escherichia coli K-12 induces the SOS response and expression of nucleotide biosynthesis genes.

<h4>Background</h4>Initiation of chromosome replication in E. coli requires the DnaA and DnaC proteins and conditionally-lethal dnaA and dnaC mutants are often used to synchronize cell populations.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>DNA microarrays were used to measure mRN...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anders Løbner-Olesen, Monika Slominska-Wojewodzka, Flemming G Hansen, Martin G Marinus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2008-08-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0002984&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:<h4>Background</h4>Initiation of chromosome replication in E. coli requires the DnaA and DnaC proteins and conditionally-lethal dnaA and dnaC mutants are often used to synchronize cell populations.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>DNA microarrays were used to measure mRNA steady-state levels in initiation-deficient dnaA46 and dnaC2 bacteria at permissive and non-permissive temperatures and their expression profiles were compared to MG1655 wildtype cells. For both mutants there was altered expression of genes involved in nucleotide biosynthesis at the non-permissive temperature. Transcription of the dnaA and dnaC genes was increased at the non-permissive temperature in the respective mutant strains indicating auto-regulation of both genes. Induction of the SOS regulon was observed in dnaC2 cells at 38 degrees C and 42 degrees C. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that dnaC2 mutant cells at non-permissive temperature had completed the early stages of chromosome replication initiation.<h4>Conclusion/significance</h4>We suggest that in dnaC2 cells the SOS response is triggered by persistent open-complex formation at oriC and/or by arrested forks that require DnaC for replication restart.
ISSN:1932-6203