SMC
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyAlternating Dynamics of oriC, SMC, and MksBEF in Segregation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ChromosomeMechanisms that define the chromosome as a structural entity remain unknown. Key elements in this process are condensins, which globally organize chromosomes and contribute to their segregation. This study characterized condensin and chromosome dynamics in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which harbors condensins from two major protein superfamilies, SMC and MksBEF. The study...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyThe Major Chromosome Condensation Factors Smc, HBsu, and Gyrase in Bacillus subtilis Operate via Strikingly Different Patterns of MotionAll types of cells need to compact their chromosomes containing their genomic information several-thousand-fold in order to fit into the cell. In eukaryotes, histones achieve a major degree of compaction and bind very tightly to DNA such that they need to be actively removed to allow access of polymerases to the DNA. Bacteria have evolved a basic, highly dynamic system of DNA compaction, accommodating rapid adaptability to changes in...