Concentration- and chromosome-organization-dependent regulator unbinding from DNA for transcription regulation in living cells

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8445
• Publication Date: 2015-07-06T09:48:18Z
• Authors: Tai-Yen Chen; Ace George Santiago; Won Jung; Łukasz Krzemiński; Feng Yang; Danya J. Martell; John D. Helmann; Peng Chen
• Keywords: Transcription

Abstract Binding and unbinding of transcription regulators at operator sites constitute a primary mechanism for gene regulation. While many cellular factors are known to regulate their binding, little is on how cells can modulate Using nanometer-precision single-molecule tracking, we study the kinetics from DNA two metal-sensing in living Escherichia coli cells. We find that they show unusual concentration-dependent chromosomal recognition both apo holo forms. Unexpectedly, further varies with extent chromosome condensation, more surprisingly, opposite ways apo-repressor versus holo-activator These findings suggest likely broadly relevant mechanisms facile switching between activation deactivation vivo coordinating regulation resistance genes cell cycle.