Question

Is prokaryotic DNA supercoiled?

Answer 1

Prokaryotic DNA:

1. A prokaryotic organism's genome is made up of millions of base pairs that are arranged helically before being wrapped into a circular structure.
2. In most cases, the genophore is double-stranded, circular (mostly), or linear in shape. Supercoiling allows them to be assembled compactly. The nucleoid, which is an uneven region, is where it stays. It is not encased in a membrane.
3. Aside from DNA, the nucleoid also contains RNA and proteins. The supercoiling of bacterial DNA is aided by 'nucleoid proteins' or 'nucleoid-associated proteins.'
4. The process of overwinding or underwinding DNA strands is known as DNA supercoiling. It also aids in the packing of genetic information within such a small cell.
5. The supercoiling puts strain on the DNA molecules and slows down the replication and transcription processes. Topoisomerases are enzymes that help prokaryotes uncoil their DNA during replication and transcription.