Chloramphenicol causes fusion of separated nucleoids in Escherichia coli K-12 cells and filaments

J M van Helvoort; J Kool; C L Woldringh

doi:10.1128/jb.178.14.4289-4293.1996

Chloramphenicol causes fusion of separated nucleoids in Escherichia coli K-12 cells and filaments

J Bacteriol. 1996 Jul;178(14):4289-93. doi: 10.1128/jb.178.14.4289-4293.1996.

Authors

J M van Helvoort¹, J Kool, C L Woldringh

Affiliation

¹ Section of Molecular Cytology, Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, BioCentrum, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Abstract

Chloramphenicol is frequently used for better visualization of the Escherichia coli nucleoid. Here, we show that chloramphenicol causes not only rounding off of the nucleoid but also fusion of as many as four separated nucleoids. Nucleoid fusion occurred in fast-growing cells and in filaments obtained by dicF antisense RNA induction or in ftsZ84(Ts) and pbpB(Ts) mutants. Thus, treatment with chloramphenicol erroneously suggests that DNA segregation is inhibited.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
Bacterial Proteins / genetics
Chloramphenicol / pharmacology*
Cytoskeletal Proteins*
Escherichia coli / cytology*
Escherichia coli / drug effects*
Escherichia coli / genetics
Escherichia coli / growth & development
Genes, Bacterial
Mutation
RNA, Antisense

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Bacterial Proteins
Cytoskeletal Proteins
FtsZ protein, Bacteria
RNA, Antisense
Chloramphenicol