- And its out! Last work of the lab: "Evolutionary Constraints on RNA Polymerase Gene Positioning in the Genome of Fast-Growing Bacteria." We show how the genomic location of RNA polymerase impacts cell physiology. www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Apr 15, 2025 04:50
- Bacteria harbour a single RNAP encoded by rpoBC genes. In fast-growers it is conserver close to oriC (bsky.app/profile/did:...). We relocated rpoBC (in red) to different locations within Vibrio cholerae genome:
- I was waiting two years to see this out!! The genomic location of bacterial genes is not random!!! Congratulation on the authors (Martin Lercher and Team!). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
- When rpoBC is far from oriC, growth rate and dosage decreases.
- We built an rpoC-mCherry translational fusion that allowed us to observe that the distribution is not disturbed upon relocation. However, we notice less RpoC-mCherry protein when the locus is far from oriC.
- We then added a second copy of the locus to show that the pheno typic effects are mostly due to alteration in replication associated rpoBC dosage reduction.
- The rpoB and rpoC genes are part of a large locus, and being the last ORF of the operon. To show that the phenotypes observed were consequence exclusively of RNA polymerase genes genomic location, we disected the locus.
- Hence, evolution maintains RNAP near oriC highlighting the key role gene order with implications in ecological strategies, adaptation, and synthetic genome design. We provide an experimental framework for investigating how genome architecture shapes cellular function.
- I thank my HUGE collaborators: @amazeld.bsky.social @celineloot.bsky.social @val-meve.bsky.social Briardo Llorente at @pasteur.fr and Macquarie University. The funds and institutions supporting the project @unsamoficial.bsky.social CONICET Agencia I+D+i
