title: Persistent super-diffusive motion of Escherichia coli chromosomal loci.
abstract: The physical nature of the bacterial chromosome has important implications for its function. Using high-resolution dynamic tracking, we observe the existence of rare but ubiquitous 'rapid movements' of chromosomal loci exhibiting near-ballistic dynamics. This suggests that these movements are either driven by an active machinery or part of stress-relaxation mechanisms. Comparison with a null physical model for subdiffusive chromosomal dynamics shows that rapid movements are excursions from a basal subdiffusive dynamics, likely due to driven and/or stress-relaxation motion. Additionally, rapid movements are in some cases coupled with known transitions of chromosomal segregation. They do not co-occur strictly with replication, their frequency varies with growth condition and chromosomal coordinate, and they show a preference for longitudinal motion. These findings support an emerging picture of the bacterial chromosome as off-equilibrium active matter and help developing a correct physical model of its in vivo dynamic structure.
authors.affiliation: Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
authors.forename: Avelino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Javer
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Bioengineering, Box 351560, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kuwada
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Zhicheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, Università dell'Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Benza
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Dorfman
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Bioengineering, Box 351560, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wiggins
authors.affiliation: Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cicuta
authors.affiliation: 1] Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, UMR 7238, UPMC, University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, 15 Rue de l'École de Médecine Paris, F-75006 Paris, France [2] Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA [3] CNRS, UMR 7238, Paris F-75006, France.
authors.forename: Marco Cosentino
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lagomarsino
mesh_terms: D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D004261:DNA Replication; D004926:Escherichia coli; D056426:Genetic Loci; D009038:Motion