Genome concentration limits cell growth and modulates proteome composition in <i>Escherichia coli</i>.

ABSTRACT: Defining the cellular factors that drive growth rate and proteome composition is essential for understanding and manipulating cellular systems. In bacteria, ribosome concentration is known to be a constraining factor of cell growth rate, while gene concentration is usually assumed not to be limiting. Here, using single-molecule tracking, quantitative single-cell microscopy, and modeling, we show that genome dilution in Escherichia coli cells arrested for DNA replication limits total RNA polymerase activity within physiological cell sizes across tested nutrient conditions. This rapid-onset limitation on bulk transcription results in sub-linear scaling of total active ribosomes with cell size and sub-exponential growth. Such downstream effects on bulk translation and cell growth are n

SUBMITTER: Makela J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11666246 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature