A tale of two genomes: resolution of dimeric chromosomes in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.
Dimeric chromosomes can be formed during replication of circular bacterial chromosomes by an odd number of homologous recombination events between sister chromosomes. In the absence of a compensating recombination reaction such dimers cannot be segregated from each other as the cell divides. This review highlights the shared and divergent mechanisms employed by Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis in their effort to resolve and partition dimeric chromosomes safely. In particular, we discuss the Xer-type recombinases, RecA, FtsK/SpoIIIE, and dif.
Sciochetti
S A
SA
Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Piggot
P J
PJ
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D019281:Dimerization; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D019426:Integrases; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D045522:Recombinases; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012808:Sigma Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C096452:FtsK protein, E coli; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D045522:Recombinases; D012808:Sigma Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092468:spoIIR protein, Bacillus subtilis; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D019426:Integrases; C115006:integron integrase IntI1