Publications by authors named "Makisha Martel"

In bacteria, replication of the chromosome is normally initiated following the binding of DnaA proteins to the oriC region. However, under certain circumstances, replication can also be initiated independent of the oriC/DnaA system. This is the case, for example, in Escherichia coli cells lacking RNase HI (rnha mutants) or type 1A topoisomerase activity (topA topB mutants).

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R-loop formation occurs when the nascent RNA hybridizes with the template DNA strand behind the RNA polymerase. R-loops affect a wide range of cellular processes and their use as origins of replication was the first function attributed to them. In Escherichia coli, R-loop formation is promoted by the ATP-dependent negative supercoiling activity of gyrase (gyrA and gyrB) and is inhibited by topoisomerase (topo) I (topA) relaxing transcription-induced negative supercoiling.

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Type 1A topoisomerases (topos) are ubiquitous enzymes involved in supercoiling regulation and in the maintenance of genome stability. Escherichia coli possesses two type 1A enzymes, topo I (topA) and topo III (topB). Cells lacking both enzymes form very long filaments and have severe chromosome segregation and growth defects.

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