Transcription-replication interactions reveal bacterial genome regulation. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06974-w)

These scientists wanted to understand how genes in bacteria are turned on and off. They knew that genes can be regulated in different ways, but they didn't have a complete picture of how this happens in bacteria. In the past, scientists have only looked at the average gene expression in millions of cells, but this doesn't show the full range of how genes are regulated.

To get a better understanding, the scientists looked at the relationship between gene regulation and the process of DNA replication. DNA replication is when the cell makes a copy of its DNA so that it can divide and make new cells. They called this relationship the transcription-replication interaction profile (TRIP).

The scientists studied the RNA, which is a molecule that helps make proteins from genes, in individual bacteria cells. They found that the way genes are regulated during DNA replication depends on different factors, like where the gene is located in the DNA and whether it is turned off or on.

By studying this, the scientists were able to create a classification system to understand how genes are regulated during DNA replication. This helps us understand the different ways genes can be turned on and off, and it gives us a better idea of how bacteria work at the genetic level.

Pountain AW., Jiang P., Yao T., Homaee E., Guan Y., McDonald KJC., Podkowik M., Shopsin B., Torres VJ., Golding I., Yanai I. Transcription-replication interactions reveal bacterial genome regulation. Nature. 2024 Jan 24. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06974-w.