Bacterial ParB partitioning proteins involved in chromosomes and low-copy-number plasmid segregation have recently been shown to belong to a new class of CTP-dependent molecular switches. Strikingly, CTP binding and hydrolysis was shown to induce a conformational change enabling ParB dimers to switch between an open and a closed conformation. This latter conformation clamps ParB dimers on DNA molecules, allowing their diffusion in one dimension along the DNA. It has been proposed that this novel sliding property may explain the spreading capability of ParB over more than 10-Kb from parS centromere sites where ParB is specifically loaded. Here, we modeled such a mechanism as a typical reaction-diffusion system and compared this ‘Clamping & sliding’ model to the ParB DNA binding pattern from high-resolution ChIP-sequencing data. We found that this mechanism can not account for all the in vivo characteristics, especially the long range of ParB binding to DNA. In particular, it predicts a strong effect of the presence of a roadblock on the ParB binding pattern that is not observed in ChIP-seq. Moreover, the rapid assembly kinetics observed in vivo after the duplication of parS sites is not easily explained by this mechanism. We propose that ‘Clamping & sliding’ might explain the ParB spreading pattern at short distances from parS but that another mechanism must apply for ParB recruitment at larger genomic distances.

Liquid-liquid phase-separated (LLPS) states are key to compartmentalizing components in the absence of membranes; however, it is unclear whether LLPS condensates are actively and specifically organized in the subcellular space and by which mechanisms. Here, we address this question by focusing on the ParABS DNA segregation system, composed of a centromeric-like sequence (parS), a DNA-binding protein (ParB), and a motor (ParA). We show that parS and ParB associate to form nanometer-sized, round condensates. ParB molecules diffuse rapidly within the nucleoid volume but display confined motions when trapped inside ParB condensates. Single ParB molecules are able to rapidly diffuse between different condensates, and nucleation is strongly favored by parS. Notably, the ParA motor is required to prevent the fusion of ParB condensates. These results describe a novel active mechanism that splits, segregates, and localizes non-canonical LLPS condensates in the subcellular space.

ABout our activities on physico-mathematical modelling of intracellularmolecular transport

Activities around modelling DNA segregation and positioning in the bacterial genome

Compte rendu des activités autour de la modélisation physico-mathématique du transport moléculaire intracellulaire

Resumé des activités de l'equipe SCPN sur la modélisation de la ségrégation et du positionnement du génome bactérie

Translation of messenger RNA (mRNA) leads to the production of proteins and is the last step of gene expression in cells. The dysregulation of translation can lead to all illnesses linked to the dysregulation of protein production, like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.About ten years ago, a ribosomal density mapping strategy (Ribo-seq) was developed. The time is therefore ripe to apply theoretical physicsmethods to study translation. We model the movement of ribosomes on mRNA using the Totally Asymmetric Simple Exclusion Process (TASEP) which is an out of equilibrium one dimensional directed transport model. With Monte Carlo simulations and a mean field approach, we propose a way to calculate the speed of ribosomes from experimental data. Moreover, we provide preliminary results concerning the correlation between the speed of ribosomes and the occurrence rate of codons (RSCU).