Fig 8. Schematic representation of terminus DNA loss.

Terminus DNA loss occurs after the two chromosomes are fully replicated. The dif/TerC region of one of the two chromosomes remains in the path of the septum and is broken during cell division (right cell). The other chromosome carries a scar that leads to the transmission of the reaction to the progeny (left cell). This representation of our results lacks details because we do not know at present the molecular mechanism that triggers these events in the recB mutant. Blue rectangle: E. coli cells, black lines: chromosome DNA strands, dark blue little circles: replication origins, pink star: scar carried by the unbroken chromosome.