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Nucleoid partitioning in Escherichia coli during steady‐state growth and upon recovery from chloramphenicol treatment
Author(s) -
Helvoort Joop M. L. M.,
Woldringh Conrad L.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1994.tb00452.x
Subject(s) - nucleoid , biology , chloramphenicol , escherichia coli , cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cell division , partition (number theory) , biophysics , biochemistry , bacteria , genetics , gene , mathematics , combinatorics
Summary To distinguish between a gradual or an abrupt movement of the Escherichia coli nucleoid during partitioning we determined the distances between nucleoid borders and cell poles. Measurements were performed on fixed but hydrated cells and on living cells growing in steady state. The distance between nucleoid outer border and cell pole remained constant in cells with either one or two nucleoids. Thus the nucleoid outer borders moved gradually during the partition process. To study partitioning during recovery from protein‐synthesis inhibition cells were treated with chloramphenicol. After growth resumption, cells and nucleoids first elongated before partitioning occurred. Again, no indication of a rapid displacement of the nucleoid to one‐quarter and three‐quarter positions in the cell was observed.