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Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Determination of the Optimal Chromosomal Locations for a DNA Element in Escherichia coli Using a Novel Transposon-mediated Approach
Published on: September 11, 2017
Extra-chromosomal DNA maintenance in Bacillus subtilis, dependence on flagellation factor FliF and moonlighting
Yuichi Hakumai1, Kouko Shimomoto2, Makoto Ashiuchi3
1Agricultural Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan.
Abstract:
Extra-chromosomal DNA maintenance (EDM) as an important process in the propagation and genetic engineering of microbes. Bacillus subtilis EdmS (formerly PgsE), a protein comprising 55 amino acids, is a mediator of the EDM process. In this study, the effect of mutation of global regulators on B. subtilis EDM was examined. Mutation of the swrA gene abolished EdmS-mediated EDM. It is known that swrA predominantly regulates expression of the fla/che operon in B. subtilis. We therefore performed EDM analysis using fla/che-deletion mutants and identified an EDM-mediated EDM cooperator in the flgB-fliL region. Further genetic investigation identified the flagellation factor FliF is a crucial EDM cooperator. To our knowledge, this is the first observation of the moonlighting function of FliF in DNA maintenance.
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