Journal
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
Volume 52, Issue 6, Pages 1567-1577Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04084.x
Keywords
-
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
SMC (structural maintenance of chromosomes) proteins are highly conserved and present in eukaryotes, bacteria and archaea. They function in chromosome condensation and segregation and in DNA repair. Using an insertion vector containing the pac gene for resistance to puromycin, we have created an insertion in the smc gene of Methanococcus voltae. We used epifluorescence microscopy to examine the cell and nucleoid morphology, DNA content and metabolic activity. This insertion causes gross defects in chromosome segregation and cell morphology. Approximately 20% of mutant cells contain little or no DNA, and a subset of cells (approximate to 2%) IS abnormally large (three to four times their normal diameter) titan cells. We believe that these titan cells indicate cell division arrest at a cell cycle checkpoint. The results confirm that SMC in archaea is an important player in chromosome dynamics (as it is in bacteria and eukaryotes).
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available