Transcription and translation contribute to gene locus relocation to the nucleoid periphery in E. coli

Abstract

Transcription by RNA polymerase (RNAP) is coupled with translation in bacteria. Here, we observe the dynamics of transcription and subcellular localization of a specific gene locus (encoding a non-membrane protein) in living E. coli cells at subdiffraction-limit resolution. The movement of the gene locus to the nucleoid periphery correlates with transcription, driven by either E. coli RNAP or T7 RNAP, and the effect is potentiated by translation.