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Characterization of burden on growth due to the nutritional state of media and pre-induced gene expression

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Abstract

Studies have shown that the production of unnecessary proteins burdens the cellular growth mainly due to allocation of cellular resources to unnecessary protein synthesis, thereby limiting the resources available for growth. In the current study, we focus on the effect of pre-induction and nutritional status of the medium on the burden imposed on growth due to the synthesis of unnecessary protein. Escherichia coli cells with different history were grown in a glycerol media with and without IPTG to characterize the burden imposed due to the synthesis of β-galactosidase. Effect of pre-induced lac operon on growth and β-galactosidase expression on lactose milieu was also investigated. The study demonstrates that pre-induction has a strong influence on the extent of burden and is sustained in several generations. Further, the burden was much lower in a rich media relative to that observed in a minimal media.

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Acknowledgments

Pushkar Malakar acknowledges the support provided by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India, for his research fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, Maharashtra, India

    Pushkar Malakar & K. V. Venkatesh

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, 400076, Maharashtra, India

    K. V. Venkatesh

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  1. Pushkar Malakar
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  2. K. V. Venkatesh
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Correspondence to K. V. Venkatesh.

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Communicated by Erko Stackebrandt.

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Malakar, P., Venkatesh, K.V. Characterization of burden on growth due to the nutritional state of media and pre-induced gene expression. Arch Microbiol 195, 291–295 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-013-0868-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-013-0868-8

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