Slow-growing cells within isogenic populations have increased RNA polymerase error rates and DNA damage.

ABSTRACT: Isogenic cells show a large degree of variability in growth rate, even when cultured in the same environment. Such cell-to-cell variability in growth can alter sensitivity to antibiotics, chemotherapy and environmental stress. To characterize transcriptional differences associated with this variability, we have developed a method--FitFlow--that enables the sorting of subpopulations by growth rate. The slow-growing subpopulation shows a transcriptional stress response, but, more surprisingly, these cells have reduced RNA polymerase fidelity and exhibit a DNA damage response. As DNA damage is often caused by oxidative stress, we test the addition of an antioxidant, and find that it reduces the size of the slow-growing population. More generally, we find a significantly altered transcriptome

SUBMITTER: van Dijk D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4557116 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature