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Cited by 10Genomics and Chromatin DynamicsBacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyDNA Repair Mechanisms

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Coupling chromosome organization to genome segregation in Archaea

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Kabli, Azhar F., Ng, Irene W., Read, Nicholas, Pal, Parul, Reimann, Julia, Tran, Ngat T., Albers, Sonja-Verena, Le, Tung B. K., Barillà, Daniela·2025·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-61997-3PMC PMC12284271

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Abstract

Chromosome segregation is a fundamental process in all life forms and requires coordination with genome organization, replication and cell division. The mechanism that mediates chromosome segregation in archaea remains enigmatic. Previously, we identified two proteins, SegA and SegB, which form a minimalist chromosome partition machine in Sulfolobales. Here we uncover patterns and mechanisms that SegAB employ to link chromosome organization to genome segregation. Deletion of the genes causes growth and chromosome partition defects. ChIP-seq investigations reveal that SegB binds to multiple sites scattered across the chromosome, but mainly localised close to the segAB locus in most of the examined archaeal genera. The sites are predominantly present in intragenic regions and enriched in one of the two compartments into which the chromosome folds. We show that SegB coalesces into multiple foci through the nucleoid, exhibiting a biased localisation towards the cell periphery, which hints at potential tethers to the cell membrane. Atomic force microscopy experiments disclose short-range DNA compaction and long-range looping of distant sites by SegB, pointing to a significant role for SegB in chromosome condensation that in turn enables genome segregation. Collectively, our data put forward SegAB as important players in bridging chromosome organization to genome segregation in archaea.

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Metadata

Authors
Kabli, A. F., Ng, I. W., Read, N., Pal, P., Reimann, J., Tran, N. T., Albers, S.-V., Le, T. B. K., & Barillà, D.
Affiliations
  • University of York (GB)
  • John Innes Centre (GB)
  • University of Freiburg (DE)
Corresponding author
Barillà, Daniela
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2025-07-22
Volume
16
Issue
1
Pages
6759-6759
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41467-025-61997-3
PMC
PMC12284271
OpenAlex
W4412559258
Cited by
10
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 6
FWCI
2.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • FreiDok plus (Universitätsbibliothek Freiburg) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • RCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/M007839/1, BB/R006369/1, BB/X00645X/1, BB/X01097X/1)
  • Leverhulme Trust (RPG-245)
  • Royal Society (URF/R/201020)
  • Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine (Fellowship)
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 › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › DNA Repair Mechanisms
Keywords
chromosome segregation, archaea, Sega, chromosome organization, chromosome condensation, DNA looping, nucleoid, Sulfolobales, cell division
MeSH terms
Archaea, Microscopy, Atomic Force, DNA, Archaeal, Archaeal Proteins, Chromosomes, Archaeal, Chromosome Segregation, Genome, Archaeal

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