Abstract
This study uncovers a new mechanism of regulation of DNA supercoiling operativein vivo upon an aerobic-anaerobic transition inEscherichia coli. Exponentially growing aerobic batch cultures were subjected to a shift to anaerobic conditions. The ratio [ATP]/[ADP] remained essentially constant at 8.5 in the aerobic culture and after a transition to anaerobiosis while DNA supercoiling increased noticeably upon anaerobiosis. This result indicated that the mechanism of regulation of DNA supercoiling by the [ATP]/[ADP] ratio was not operative. The increase in DNA supercoiling was followed by a large decrease in the DNA-relaxing activity of topoisomerase I while gyrase activity remained relatively constant. This decrease in the activity of topoisomerase I is likely to be responsible for the increase in DNA supercoiling.
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Abbreviations
- TPE:
-
Tris-phosphate-EDTA buffer
- TBE:
-
Tris-borate-EDTA buffer
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Cortassa, S., Aon, M.A. Altered topoisomerase activities may be involved in the regulation of DNA supercoiling in aerobic-anaerobic transitions inEscherichia coli . Mol Cell Biochem 126, 115–124 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00925689
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00925689