Ultrastructure of a condensed chromosome-like structure in a cyanobacterium
Friday, October 21, 2016 - 09:32
in Biology & Nature
Eukaryotic cells, including human cells, form paired condensed chromosomes before cell division. The paired chromosomes are then equally divided into the daughter cells. Prokaryotic cells, including bacteria, do not have such a DNA distribution system. Researchers have discovered that the photosynthetic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus shows eukaryotic condensed chromosome-like DNA compaction prior to cell division and were able to reveal details of the transiently formed structure.