Biochemical Analysis of Bacterial Condensins

Condensins help establish compactness of bacterial chromosomes and assist in their segregation during cell growth and division. They act as elaborate macromolecular machines that organize the chromosome on a global scale and link it to the pan-cell dynamics. The mechanism of condensins in its entirety is yet to be elucidated. However, many aspects of condensin activity have been recuperated in vitro. This report described purification of the Escherichia coli condensin MukBEF, its reassembly from purified components, and reconstitution of DNA supercoiling and DNA bridging activities of the complex.