Fig. 9: Circular, Supercoiled Prokaryotic DNA


To enable the large DNA molecyle to fit within the bacterium, a DNA topoisomerase enzyme called DNA gyrase supercoils the chromosome into a tight bundle forming a compacted, supercoiled mass of DNA approximately 0.2 µm in diameter.

Illustration of Circular, Supercoiled Prokaryotic DNA .jpg by Gary E. Kaiser, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology, The Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville Campus
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://cwoer.ccbcmd.edu/science/microbiology/index_gos.html.

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Last updated: Feb., 2021
Please send comments and inquiries to Dr. Gary Kaiser