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Updated: Jan 29, 2026
11:12
Determination of the Optimal Chromosomal Locations for a DNA Element in Escherichia coli Using a Novel Transposon-mediated Approach
Published on: September 11, 2017
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Hitchhiking on chromosomes: A persistence strategy shared by diverse selfish DNA elements
Soumitra Sau1, Santanu Kumar Ghosh2, Yen-Ting Liu3
1Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Kolkata, Kolkata 700135, India.
Plasmid
|February 7, 2019
Summary
Plasmids use chromosome segregation machinery for stable inheritance. This
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Bacterial plasmids segregate via 'segrosomes' using directed movement.
- Eukaryotic plasmids and viral episomes associate with host chromosomes.
- Chromosome segregation is highly accurate, ensuring daughter cell inheritance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how extra-chromosomal elements achieve stable inheritance.
- To investigate the 'chromosome hitchhiking' strategy used by plasmids.
- To understand the convergence of segregation mechanisms across organisms.
Main Methods:
- Molecular-genetic studies
- Biochemical analyses
- Cell biological observations
Main Results:
- Yeast 2-micron plasmid sisters associate with sister chromatids.
- This association overcomes 'mother bias' for equal segregation.
- Some bacterial plasmids may also use chromosome association for propagation.
Conclusions:
- Extra-chromosomal elements converge on 'chromosome hitchhiking' for stable inheritance.
- This strategy leverages host chromosome segregation machinery.
- Plasmids can achieve near chromosome-level segregation accuracy.
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