MACROMOLECULAR CROWDING AND THE MANDATORY CONDENSATION OF DNA IN BACTERIA

Cellular DNA in bacteria is localized into nucleoids enclosed by cytop lasm, The forces which cause condensation of the DNA into nucleoids ar e poorly understood, We suggest that direct and indirect macromolecula r crowding forces from the surrounding cytoplasm are critical factors for nucleoid condensation, and that within a bacterial cell these crow ding forces are always present at such high levels that the DNA is mai ntained in a condensed state, The DNA affected includes not only the p reexisting genomic DNA but also DNA that is newly introduced by viral infection, replication or other means.