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Cited by 114Genomics and Chromatin DynamicsBacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyChromosomal and Genetic Variations

Defined chromosome structure in the genome-reduced bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae

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Trussart, Marie, Yus, Eva, Martinez, Sira, Baù, Davide, Tahara, Yuhei O., Pengo, Thomas, Widjaja, Michael, Kretschmer, Simon +8 more·2017·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/ncomms14665PMC PMC5344976
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Abstract

DNA-binding proteins are central regulators of chromosome organization; however, in genome-reduced bacteria their diversity is largely diminished. Whether the chromosomes of such bacteria adopt defined three-dimensional structures remains unexplored. Here we combine Hi-C and super-resolution microscopy to determine the structure of the Mycoplasma pneumoniae chromosome at a 10 kb resolution. We find a defined structure, with a global symmetry between two arms that connect opposite poles, one bearing the chromosomal Ori and the other the midpoint. Analysis of local structures at a 3 kb resolution indicates that the chromosome is organized into domains ranging from 15 to 33 kb. We provide evidence that genes within the same domain tend to be co-regulated, suggesting that chromosome organization influences transcriptional regulation, and that supercoiling regulates local organization. This study extends the current understanding of bacterial genome organization and demonstrates that a defined chromosomal structure is a universal feature of living systems.

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  • In Mycoplasma pneumoniae, super-resolution imaging suggests anchoring of the Ter-proximal region of the DNA to the attachment organelle.

    “In Mycoplasma pneumoniae, super-resolution imaging suggests anchoring of the Ter-proximal region of the DNA to the attachment organelle.84”

    From Bringing the genetically minimal cell to life on a computer in 4D (2026) · cites this paper as [84]

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Authors
Trussart, M., Yus, E., Martinez, S., Baù, D., Tahara, Y. O., Pengo, T., Widjaja, M., Kretschmer, S., Swoger, J., Djordjevic, S., Turnbull, L., Whitchurch, C., Miyata, M., Marti-Renom, M. A., Lluch-Senar, M., & Serrano, L.
Affiliations
  • Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
  • Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (ES)
  • Osaka City University (JP)
  • University of Technology Sydney (AU)
  • Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (DE)
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2017-03-08
Volume
8
Issue
1
Pages
14665-14665
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/ncomms14665
PMC
PMC5344976
OpenAlex
W2593043670
Cited by
114
References
72
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 7
FWCI
5.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RECERCAT (Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney) (submittedVersion)
  • Repositori digital de la UPF (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Centres de Recerca de Catalunya
  • European Commission (2007–2013, FP7 2007-2013, HORIZON2020, FP7/2007, 634942)
  • Generalitat de Catalunya (634942)
  • Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (BIO2007‐61762, SEV‐2012‐0208, BFU2013-47736-P)
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (24117002, 24117001, 17H01544)
  • Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI10/01702, FP7/2007-2013)
  • European Regional Development Fund (FP7/2007‐2013, 2007 – 2013)
  • FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (232913, 609989)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
Keywords
Mycoplasma pneumoniae, bacterial chromosome structure, genome reduction, DNA-binding proteins, chromosome organization, chromosomal domains, supercoiling, transcriptional regulation, Hi-C, super-resolution microscopy
MeSH terms
Chromosomes, Bacterial, DNA, Bacterial, DNA, Superhelical, Microscopy, Molecular Conformation, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Nucleic Acid Conformation, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Genome, Bacterial, Chromosome Structures

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