Somenath Bakshi

Superresolution imaging of ribosomes and RNA polymerase in live Escherichia coli cells

Quantitative spatial distributions of ribosomes (S2‐YFP) and RNA polymerase (RNAP; β′‐yGFP) in live Escherichia coli are measured by superresolution fluorescence microscopy. In moderate growth conditions, nucleoid–ribosome segregation is strong, and RNAP localizes to the nucleoid lobes. The mean copy numbers per cell are 4600 RNAPs and 55 000 ribosomes. Only 10–15% of the ribosomes lie within the densest part of the nucleoid lobes, and at most 4% of the RNAPs lie in the two ribosome‐rich endcaps. The predominant observed diffusion coefficient of ribosomes is Dribo = 0.04 µm2 s−1, attributed to free mRNA being translated by one or more 70S ribosomes. We find no clear evidence of subdiffusion, as would arise from tethering of ribosomes to the DNA. The degree of DNA–ribosome segregation strongly suggests that in E. coli most translation occurs on free mRNA transcripts that have diffused into the ribosome‐rich regions. Both RNAP and ribosome radial distributions extend to the cytoplasmic membrane, consistent with the transertion hypothesis. However, few if any RNAP copies lie near the membrane of the endcaps. This suggests that if transertion occurs, it exerts a direct radially expanding force on the nucleoid, but not a direct axially expanding force.

Subdiffraction-Limit Study of Kaede Diffusion and Spatial Distribution in Live Escherichia coli

Photoactivation localization microscopy (PALM) is used to study the spatial distribution and diffusion of single copies of the protein Kaede in the cytoplasm of live Escherichia coli under moderate growth conditions (67 min doubling time). The spatial distribution of Kaede is uniform within the cytoplasm. The cytoplasmic radius of 380 ± 30 nm varies little from cell to cell. Single-particle tracking using 4 ms exposure times reveals negatively curved plots of mean-square displacement versus time. A detailed comparison with Monte Carlo simulations in a spherocylindrical volume shows that the curvature can be quantitatively understood in terms of free diffusion within a confining volume. The mean diffusion coefficient across cells is = 7.3 ± 1.1 μm(2)·s(-1), consistent with a homotetrameric form of Kaede. The distribution of squared displacements along the long axis for individual Kaede molecules is consistent with homogeneous diffusion. However, for longer cells, a spatial map of one-step estimates of the diffusion coefficient along x suggests that diffusion is ∼20-40% faster within nucleoids than in the ribosome-rich region lying between nucleoid lobes at the cell mid-plane. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching yielded = 8.3 ± 1.6 μm(2)·s(-1), in agreement with the single-particle tracking results.

Localized Permeabilization of E. coli Membranes by the Antimicrobial Peptide Cecropin A

Fluorescence microscopy enables detailed observation of the effects of the antimicrobial peptide Cecropin A on the outer membrane (OM) and cytoplasmic membrane (CM) of single E. coli cells with subsecond time resolution. Fluorescence from periplasmic GFP decays and cell growth halts when the OM is permeabilized. Fluorescence from the DNA stain Sytox Green rises when the CM is permeabilized and the stain enters the cytoplasm. The initial membrane disruptions are localized and stable. Septating cells are attacked earlier than nonseptating cells, and curved membrane surfaces are attacked in preference to cylindrical surfaces. Below a threshold bulk Cecropin A concentration, permeabilization is not observed over 30 min. Above this threshold, we observe a lag time of several minutes between Cecropin A addition and OM permeabilization and ∼30 s between OM and CM permeabilization. The long lag times and the existence of a threshold concentration for permeabilization suggest a nucleation mechanism. However, the roughly linear dependence of mean lag time on bulk peptide concentration is not easily reconciled with a nucleation step involving simultaneous insertion of multiple peptides into the bilayer. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that within seconds, the OM permeability becomes comparable to that of a pore of 100 nm diameter or of numerous small pores distributed over a similarly large area.

Time‐dependent effects of transcription‐ and translation‐halting drugs on the spatial distributions of the Escherichia coli chromosome and ribosomes

Previously observed effects of rifampicin and chloramphenicol indicate that transcription and translation activity strongly affect the coarse spatial organization of the bacterial cytoplasm. Single‐cell, time‐resolved, quantitative imaging of chromosome and ribosome spatial distributions and ribosome diffusion in live Escherichia coli provides insight into the underlying mechanisms. Monte Carlo simulations of model DNA‐ribosome mixtures support a novel nucleoid‐ribosome mixing hypothesis. In normal conditions, 70S‐polysomes and the chromosomal DNA segregate, while 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits are able to penetrate the nucleoids. Growth conditions and drug treatments determine the partitioning of ribosomes into 70S‐polysomes versus free 30S and 50S subunits. Entropic and excluded volume effects then dictate the resulting chromosome and ribosome spatial distributions. Direct observation of radial contraction of the nucleoids 0–5 min after treatment with either transcription‐ or translation‐halting drugs supports the hypothesis that simultaneous transcription, translation, and insertion of proteins into the membrane (‘transertion’) exerts an expanding force on the chromosomal DNA. Breaking of the DNA‐RNA polymerase‐mRNA‐ribosome‐membrane chain in either of two ways causes similar nucleoid contraction on a similar timescale. We suggest that chromosomal expansion due to transertion enables co‐transcriptional translation throughout the nucleoids.

The spatial biology of transcription and translation in rapidly growing Escherichia coli

Single-molecule fluorescence provides high resolution spatial distributions of ribosomes and RNA polymerase (RNAP) in live, rapidly growing Escherichia coli. Ribosomes are more strongly segregated from the nucleoids (chromosomal DNA) than previous widefield fluorescence studies suggested. While most transcription may be co-translational, the evidence indicates that most translation occurs on free mRNA copies that have diffused from the nucleoids to a ribosome-rich region. Analysis of time-resolved images of the nucleoid spatial distribution after treatment with the transcription-halting drug rifampicin and the translation-halting drug chloramphenicol shows that both drugs cause nucleoid contraction on the 0–3 min timescale. This is consistent with the transertion hypothesis. We suggest that the longer-term (20–30 min) nucleoid expansion after Rif treatment arises from conversion of 70S-polysomes to 30S and 50S subunits, which readily penetrate the nucleoids. Monte Carlo simulations of a polymer bead model built to mimic the chromosomal DNA and ribosomes (either 70S-polysomes or 30S and 50S subunits) explain spatial segregation or mixing of ribosomes and nucleoids in terms of excluded volume and entropic effects alone. A comprehensive model of the transcription-translation-transertion system incorporates this new information about the spatial organization of the E. coli cytoplasm. We propose that transertion, which radially expands the nucleoids, is essential for recycling of 30S and 50S subunits from ribosome-rich regions back into the nucleoids. There they initiate co-transcriptional translation, which is an important mechanism for maintaining RNAP forward progress and protecting the nascent mRNA chain. Segregation of 70S-polysomes from the nucleoid may facilitate rapid growth by shortening the search time for ribosomes to find free mRNA concentrated outside the nucleoid and the search time for RNAP concentrated within the nucleoid to find transcription initiation sites.

Nonperturbative imaging of nucleoid morphology in live bacterial cells during an antimicrobial peptide attack.

ABSTRACT Studies of time-dependent drug and environmental effects on single, live bacterial cells would benefit significantly from a permeable, nonperturbative, long-lived fluorescent stain specific to the nucleoids (chromosomal DNA). The ideal stain would not affect cell growth rate or nucleoid morphology and dynamics, even during laser illumination for hundreds of camera frames. In this study, time-dependent, single-cell fluorescence imaging with laser excitation and a sensitive electron-multiplying charge-coupled-device (EMCCD) camera critically tested the utility of “dead-cell stains” (SYTOX orange and SYTOX green) and “live-cell stains” (DRAQ5 and SYTO 61) and also 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Surprisingly, the dead-cell stains were nearly ideal for imaging live Escherichia coli, while the live-cell stains and DAPI caused nucleoid expansion and, in some cases, cell permeabilization and the halting of growth. SYTOX orange performed well for both the Gram-negative E. coli and the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis. In an initial application, we used two-color fluorescence imaging to show that the antimicrobial peptide cecropin A destroyed nucleoid-ribosome segregation over 20 min after permeabilization of the E. coli cytoplasmic membrane, reminiscent of the long-term effects of the drug rifampin. In contrast, the human cathelicidin LL-37, while similar to cecropin A in structure, length, charge, and the ability to permeabilize bacterial membranes, had no observable effect on nucleoid-ribosome segregation. Possible underlying causes are suggested.

Localized Permeabilization of E. Coli Membranes by the Antimicrobial Peptide Cecropin A

Fluorescence microscopy enables detailed observation of the effects of the antimicrobial peptide Cecropin A on the outer membrane (OM) and cytoplasmic membrane (CM) of single E. coli cells with subsecond time resolution. Fluorescence from periplasmic GFP decays and cell growth halts when the OM is permeabilized. Fluorescence from the DNA stain Sytox Green rises when the CM is permeabilized and the stain enters the cytoplasm. The initial membrane disruptions are localized and stable. Septating cells are attacked earlier than nonseptating cells, and curved membrane surfaces are attacked in preference to cylindrical surfaces. Below a threshold bulk Cecropin A concentration, permeabilization is not observed over 30 min. Above this threshold, we observe a lag time of several minutes between Cecropin A addition and OM permeabilization and 30 s between OM and CM permeabilization. The long lag times and the existence of a threshold concentration for permeabilization suggest a nucleation mechanism. However, the roughly linear dependence of mean lag time on bulk peptide concentration is not easily reconciled with a nucleation step involving simultaneous insertion of multiple peptides into the bilayer. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that within seconds, the OM permeability becomes comparable to that of a pore of 100 nm diameter or of numerous small pores distributed over a similarly large area. Studies with fluorescently labeled Cecropin A provide information about the kinetics of peptide binding to the OM, and subsequent entry of peptide molecules into the periplasm and cytoplasm. Single molecule imaging of fluorescently labeled Cecropin A allows measurement of trajectory lengths and diffusion constants of the peptide on the outer membrane surface.