On a surface-anchored plasmid, Wadjet extrudes a DNA loop until it reaches the anchor point. The complex then stalls, ultimately cleaving the plasmid at the anchor.

Here is a direct visualization of DNA loop extrusion under buffer flow. We found that Wadjet extrudes DNA as a dimer, and LE is inhibited when dimerization is disrupted.

Happy to see our research on SMC Wadjet published in Molecular Cell. We showed DNA loop extrusion (LE) by a bacterial SMC, confirming LE is conserved across all life forms. Wadjet's LE activity is crucial for recognizing and restricting foreign plasmids, serving as a defense mechanism. 🧬🔬🧪