Helicobacter pylori oriC--the first bipartite origin of chromosome replication in Gram-negative bacteria

What is it about?

The article concerns the identification and characterization of the bipartite origin of repliation in Helicobacter pylori. This is the first such origin discovered in a Gram negative bacterium. Furthermore, we found that the interaction of the DnaA initiator protein with oriC2 subregion is controlled by the DNA topology.

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Why is it important?

The role of the DNA topology in regulating DnaA interaction with oriC is a unique feature for bacteria. It resembles the initiator-origin interactions in Archaea and Eukaryota for which it was proposed that such interactions are regulated more by DNA structure and chromatin context and less by a specific DNA sequences. Our work shows that the it may be necessary to reevaluate the similarites and differences between initation mechanisms in particular domains of life.