Energized membrane may regulate nucleoid conformation in Bacillus subtilis

Abstract It was shown in a previous study, using a temperature-sensitive initiation mutant of Bacillus subtilis that DNA synthesis at the origin and terminus of replication occurred at cell poles. In the current study, it is demonstrated that cells specifically labelled at the origin or near the terminus, show a re-distribution of radioactivity when treated with the uncoupling agent, sodium azide. Since it is most likely that the DNA-cell wall attachment is mediated through membrane interactions, we now propose that the maintenance of this attachment is dependent on the energized state of the membrane.