Researchers have captured the moment two DNA molecules zip together, overcoming their identical negative charges to pair up and revealing a mechanism that has puzzled scientists for more than 20 years.

Abstract. Plasmids play a key role in the spread of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes to new genetic backgrounds. Genetic variation in the trans

Active chromatin is usually described as open and accessible. Our live-cell imaging shows instead that euchromatin forms condensed domains, and that cohesin helps keep neighboring domains from mixing.

The origin, risks, diagnosis, epidemiology of resistance to antibacterial agents in man and livestock worldwide, as well as preventive and countermeasures, in a « one health » perspective.

Bienvenue sur le site du réseau “Phages.fr” Le réseau “Phages.fr” regroupe des scientifiques qui travaillent sur les thématiques incluant les bactériophages dont l’étude des structures, interactions moléculaires & cellulaires, écologie & évolution, thérapie phagique et biocontrôle en santé humaine, végétale & animale et industrie ainsi que des Sciences humaines et sociales. Ces scientifiques appartiennent à différents instituts publics français de recherche tels que CNRS (principal financeur), INRAE, INSERM, ANSES, Institut Pasteur mais aussi de nombreuses universités (Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nancy, Paris, etc) et hôpitaux, avec aussi la participation de membres d’entreprises.

Presentation

Abstract. Toxin-antitoxin systems (TAs) are widespread in bacterial genomes. Yet, their integration, persistence, and impact in chromosome dynamics remain

Project Code IIAR27Ex van Houte Project Type Wet lab Research Theme Infection, Immunity, and Antimicrobial Resistance Project Summary Download Summary Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major thre...

Insertion sequences (ISs) are widespread prokaryotic transposable elements, often regarded as genomic parasites that primarily cause deleterious mutations. However, they can also promote adaptive chan...

Bacterial genomes are remarkably dynamic, shaped by horizontal transfer of plasmids that follow evolutionary trajectories of their own. This study uses eco-evolutionary perspectives to reveal how the ...

Abstract. To successfully transfer, conjugative plasmids must overcome a recipient cell’s defence mechanisms. The leading region of many plasmids—the first

Precise regulation of gene expression ensures gene products are produced at the right time and in the right amounts. Recent works uncovered a new mechanism of bacterial gene regulation based on a clamp sliding and locking in a multi-drug resistance plasmid, RK2. KorB functions as a CTP-dependent DNA-sliding clamp capable of traveling over a long genomic distance. Sliding KorB is captured and locked in place by a partner protein, KorA, forming a stable complex at target promoters to repress transcription. Here, we show that another RK2 regulator, TrbA, also uses this clamp sliding-locking mechanism, and identify an aromatic interface enabling TrbA-KorB-mediated transcriptional repression. Our findings show how a single sliding clamp integrates multiple partners to build a complex transcriptional regulatory network.

Abstract. Faithful DNA segregation in bacteria relies on ParABS systems, in which ParB assembles into condensates at centromere-like parS sites, while the

Quantitative microscopy of microorganisms increasingly produces large, multidimensional datasets, yet their analysis often depends on fragmented workflows spanning file conversion, segmentation, quali...

Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) complexes are conserved ATP-driven machines that organize, compact, and segregate genomes in all domains of life. Despite variation in subunit composition and regulation, all SMC complexes share a core structure and mechanism of action. Bacteria possess two major classes of SMC complexes, SMC-ScpAB and MukBEF, which function in chromosome compaction and segregation. In addition, some bacteria contain other SMC complexes or SMC-like systems such as MksBEF, Wadjet, RecN, and SbcC, each with specialized functions. Bacterial SMC complexes coordinate genome maintenance, DNA replication, DNA repair, plasmid defense, and cell physiology. In this review, we discuss the structure and function of these bacterial SMC complexes, highlighting the shared characteristics and unique strategies employed by each.

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology - The kinetochore is a macromolecular complex that assembles on centromeric chromatin and connects spindle microtubules to the chromosome. This Review...

Proteins with intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) migrate at a higher apparent molecular weight in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, complicating their analysis and...

Alt: Animated E. coli Bacteria Drawing

Public microbial genomes encode an immense record of biological diversity, evolution and molecular function, but much of this information remains difficult to reuse because raw sequencing data are not...

In homologous recombination, DNA repair depends on recombinase filaments finding homologous templates on chromosomes whose topology is continually remodeled by replication and transcription. How dynam...

Abstract. Insertion sequences (ISs) are widespread prokaryotic transposable elements, often regarded as genomic parasites that primarily cause deleterious

The origin of life is often framed primarily as a chemical problem, yet life's defining feature is evolution. Advances in geochemistry, prebiotic chemistry, and molecular biology have produced diverse...

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The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is one of the world’s leading public health universities. Our mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working i...

Yang et al. reveal a dynamic DdmDE-mediated plasmid clearance pathway. Transient DNA bubbles permit promiscuous DdmE binding, while target specificity arises from slower dissociation at matched sites. DdmE then recruits a DdmD dimer to drive target-centered, bidirectional dsDNA unwinding. Free DdmD subsequently coats extruded ssDNA to enable site-specific endonucleolytic cleavage.