Fig. 6

Gene expression drives chromosome separation. The number of fluorescent foci in cells at the point of division were counted in the presence and absence of the inducer, arabinose. Dividing cells were defined as having two separate nucleoids when stained with Hoechst 33,258 but which were not separate cells when viewed under brightfield microscopy. Cells containing a 20 MalO array adjacent to the araFGH locus, predominantly contained either a single centrally located focus (a) or two distinct foci (b). c The number of foci in 300 individual cells were counted, from bacterial cultures grown in minimal medium, supplemented with 0.3% arabinose, or supplemented with 0.3% glucose. For this experiment, araBAD and dps were tagged with a LacO array and araFGH was tagged with a MalO array. For each position, the percentage of dividing cells containing a single central focus is plotted. The values for the araBAD tagged strain, induced with arabinose and glucose, were 0%. d The impact of inhibiting the processes of transcription of translation on the number of cells containing a single focus derived from a MalO array adjacent to araFGH. Growing cultures were supplemented with rifampicin or erythromycin prior to induction with arabinose. The number of cells containing a single focus, from 300 individual cells, is plotted and the error bars represent the standard deviation