Organization of the Escherichia coli chromosome into macrodomains and its possible functional implications

Recent advances in fluorescent microscopy have revealed the non-random organization of chromosomes in bacterial cells. In Escherichia coli, segments included in two large regions show similar localization patterns allowing the definition of two macrodomains centered, respectively, on the centromere-like site migS (the Ori domain) and the replication terminus (the Ter domain). A genetic system measuring long distance DNA interactions confirmed the macrodomain organization of the chromosome and revealed the existence of two additional macrodomains flanking the Ter domain. Altogether, the E. coli chromosome appears to have an open ring-like conformation. Recent developments regarding various stages of chromosome biology such as replication, sister chromatid cohesion, segregation, and chromosome choreography, have considerably improved our understanding of the coordination of chromosome dynamics with the cell cycle. The possible involvement of macrodomains in these various processes is discussed.