TY - JOUR

T1 - Role of SeqA and Dam in Escherichia coli gene expression

T2 - a global/microarray analysis

AU - Løbner-Olesen, Anders

AU - Marinus, Martin G.

AU - Hansen, Flemming G.

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - High-density oligonucleotide arrays were used to monitor global transcription patterns in Escherichia coli with various levels of Dam and SeqA proteins. Cells lacking Dam methyltransferase showed a modest increase in transcription of the genes belonging to the SOS regulon. Bacteria devoid of the SeqA protein, which preferentially binds hemimethylated DNA, were found to have a transcriptional profile almost identical to WT bacteria overexpressing Dam methyltransferase. The latter two strains differed from WT in two ways. First, the origin proximal genes were transcribed with increased frequency due to increased gene dosage. Second, chromosomal domains of high transcriptional activity alternate with regions of low activity, and our results indicate that the activity in each domain is modulated in the same way by SeqA deficiency or Dam overproduction. We suggest that the methylation status of the cell is an important factor in forming and/or maintaining chromosome structure.

AB - High-density oligonucleotide arrays were used to monitor global transcription patterns in Escherichia coli with various levels of Dam and SeqA proteins. Cells lacking Dam methyltransferase showed a modest increase in transcription of the genes belonging to the SOS regulon. Bacteria devoid of the SeqA protein, which preferentially binds hemimethylated DNA, were found to have a transcriptional profile almost identical to WT bacteria overexpressing Dam methyltransferase. The latter two strains differed from WT in two ways. First, the origin proximal genes were transcribed with increased frequency due to increased gene dosage. Second, chromosomal domains of high transcriptional activity alternate with regions of low activity, and our results indicate that the activity in each domain is modulated in the same way by SeqA deficiency or Dam overproduction. We suggest that the methylation status of the cell is an important factor in forming and/or maintaining chromosome structure.

KW - Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins

KW - Chromosomes, Bacterial/genetics

KW - DNA Methylation

KW - DNA, Bacterial/genetics

KW - DNA-Binding Proteins

KW - Escherichia coli/genetics

KW - Escherichia coli Proteins/genetics

KW - Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial

KW - Genes, Bacterial

KW - Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis

KW - SOS Response (Genetics)

KW - Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific)/genetics

KW - Transcription Factors/genetics

U2 - 10.1073/pnas.0538053100

DO - 10.1073/pnas.0538053100

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 12682301

VL - 100

SP - 4672

EP - 4677

JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

SN - 0027-8424

IS - 8

ER -