Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Studies on the alteration of chromosome copy number and cell division potential in a dnaA mutant of Escherichia coli

  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The dnaA167 mutant of Escherichia coli, N167, maintains, on the average, two replicating chromosomes per cell at the perimissive growth temperature of 30°C and only one per cell at the higher permissive growth temperature of 38°C. When the growth temperature of this mutant is changed from 30° to 38°C the cells rapidly readjust their chromosome copy number from two to one. I have examined the kinetics of this transition with reference to DNA replication and cell division. My results indicate that this mutant uncouples cell division from chromosome duplication to achieve the appropriate copy number, suggesting that the dnaA gene product may be involved in the coordination between these two cellular events.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abe M, Tomizawa J (1971) Chromosome replication in Escherichia coli K12 mutant affected in the process of DNA initiation. Genetics 69:1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Aldea M, Garrido T, Pla J, Vicente M (1990) Division genes in Escherichia coli are expressed coordinately to cell septum requirements by gearbox promoters. EMBO J 9:3787–3794

    Google Scholar 

  • Bejar S, Bouche JP (1985) A new dispensable genetic locus of the terminus region involved in control of cell division in Escherichia coli. Mol Gen Genet 201:146–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernander R, Nordstrom K (1990) Chromosome replication does not trigger cell division in E. coli. Cell 60:365–374

    Google Scholar 

  • Bramhill D, Kornberg A (1988) A model for initiation at origins of DNA replication. Cell 54:915–918

    Google Scholar 

  • Bremer H, Churchward G, Young R (1979) Relation between growth and replication in bacteria. J Theor Biol 81:533–545

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton P, Holland IB (1983) Two pathways of division inhibition in UV-irradiation Escherichia coli. Mol Gen Genet 193:379–381

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark DJ (1968) The regulation of DNA replication and cell division in E. coli B/r. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 33:823–838

    Google Scholar 

  • Fralick JA (1978) Studies on the regulation of initiation of chromosome replication in Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol 122:271–286

    Google Scholar 

  • Fralick JA, Lark KG (1973) Evidence for the involvement of unsaturated fatty acids in initiating chromosome replication in Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol 80:459–475

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen FG, Rasmussen KV (1977) Regulation of the dnaA prouct in Escherichia coli. Mol Gen Genet 155:219–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Helmstetter CE, Cooper S (1968) DNA synthesis during the division cycle of rapidly growing Escherichia coli B/r. J Mol Biol 31:519–540

    Google Scholar 

  • Helmstetter CE, Pierrucci D (1968) Cell division during inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis. J Bacteriol 95:1627–1633

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiraga S, Saitoh T (1974) Initiation of DNA replication in Escherichia coli. I. Characteristics of the initiation process in dna mutants. Mol Gen Genet 132:49–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland IB (1987) genetic analysis of the E. coli division clock. Cell 48:361–362

    Google Scholar 

  • Howe WE, Mount DW (1975) Production of cells without deoxyribonucleic acid during thymidine starvation of a culture of Escherichia coli K12. J Bacteriol 124:1113–1121

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacob F, Brenner S, Cuzin F (1963) On the regulation of DNA replication in bacteria. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 28:329–348

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones N, Donachie W (1973) Chromosome transcription and control of cell division in Escherichia coli. Nature New biol 243:100–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Masters M, Paterson T, Popplewell AG, Owen-Hughes T, Pringle JH, Begg KJ (1989) The effect of DnaA protein levels and the rate of initiation at oriC on transcription originating in the ftsQ and ftsA genes: In vivo experiments. Mol Gen Genet 216:475–483

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller JH (1972) Experiments in molecular genetics. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishimura A (1989) A new gene controlling the frequency of cell division per round of DNA replication in Escherichia coli. Mol Gen Genet 215:286–293

    Google Scholar 

  • Norris V, Seror SJ, Casaregola S, Holland IB (1988) A single calcium flux triggers chromosome replication segregation and septation in bacteria: a model. J Theor Biol 134:341–350

    Google Scholar 

  • Sueoka N, Yoshikawa H (1965) The chromosome of B. subtilis. I. Theory of marker frequency analysis. Genetics 52:747–757

    Google Scholar 

  • Tormo A, Cabrera CF, Vicente M (1985) The ftsA gene product: a possible connection between DNA replication and septation in Escherichia coli. J Gen Microbiol 131:239–244

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 79430, Lubbock, TX, USA

    Joe A. Fralick

Authors
  1. Joe A. Fralick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by R. Devoret

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fralick, J.A. Studies on the alteration of chromosome copy number and cell division potential in a dnaA mutant of Escherichia coli . Molec. Gen. Genet. 229, 175–180 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272153

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272153

Key words

Search

Navigation