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Membrane attachment of folded chromosome of Escherichia coli
The Biochemical Journal
|January 15, 1976
Abstract:
By fractionation of the envelope part of membrane-associated folded chromosomes it is shown that only the outer membrane is bound to the DNA. Experiments with the M-band technique suggest the presence of attachment points for the membrane also in membrane-released folded chromosomes.
Insights
The outer membrane of bacterial cells attaches to folded chromosomes. Attachment points for the membrane are also present in chromosomes released from the membrane.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Bacterial chromosomes are organized into folded structures.
- These folded chromosomes are associated with the cell membrane.
- The precise nature of the membrane-chromosome interaction is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific membrane fraction that interacts with folded chromosomes.
- To determine if attachment sites exist in membrane-released chromosomes.
Main Methods:
- Fractionation of the cell envelope to isolate membrane components.
- Analysis of DNA-membrane association in isolated fractions.
- Application of the M-band technique to membrane-released chromosomes.
Main Results:
- The outer membrane was identified as the specific membrane fraction bound to folded chromosomes.
- Evidence suggests the presence of membrane attachment points within chromosomes that have been released from the membrane.
Conclusions:
- The outer membrane plays a direct role in the association with folded bacterial chromosomes.
- Attachment sites for the membrane are an intrinsic feature of the folded chromosome structure, persisting even after membrane release.