Genomic mutations allow bacteria to adapt rapidly to adverse stress environments. The three-dimensional conformation of the genome may also play an important role in transcriptional regulation and environmental adaptation. Here, using chromosome conformation capture, we investigate the high-order architecture of the Zymomonas mobilis chromosome in response to genomic mutation and ambient stimuli (acetic acid and furfural, derived from lignocellulosic hydrolysate). We find that genomic mutation only influences the local chromosome contacts, whereas stress of acetic acid and furfural restrict the long-range contacts and significantly change the chromosome organization at domain scales. Further deciphering the domain feature unveils the important transcription factors, Ferric uptake regulator (Fur) proteins, which act as nucleoid-associated proteins to promote long-range (>200 kb) chromosomal communications and regulate the expression of genes involved in stress response. Our work suggests that ubiquitous transcription factors in prokaryotes mediate chromosome organization and regulate stress-resistance genes in bacterial adaptation.

中文翻译：

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转录因子塑造染色体构象并调节细菌适应中的基因表达

基因突变使细菌能够快速适应不利的应激环境。基因组的三维构象也可能在转录调控和环境适应中发挥重要作用。在这里，利用染色体构象捕获，我们研究了运动发酵单胞菌染色体响应基因组突变和环境刺激（乙酸和糠醛，源自木质纤维素水解产物）的高阶结构。我们发现基因组突变仅影响局部染色体接触，而乙酸和糠醛的胁迫限制了远程接触并显着改变了域尺度上的染色体组织。进一步破译该结构域特征揭示了重要的转录因子，即铁摄取调节蛋白（Fur），其作为类核相关蛋白来促进长程（>200 kb）染色体通讯并调节参与应激反应的基因的表达。我们的工作表明，原核生物中普遍存在的转录因子介导染色体组织并调节细菌适应中的应激抗性基因。