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Non-canonical resource allocation in heterotrophically growing Thermoanaerobacter kivui

Author

Listed:
  • Franziska Maria Mueller

    (Stanford University)

  • Albert Leopold Müller

    (Stanford University)

  • Wenyu Gu

    (Stanford University
    EPFL)

  • Farshad Abdollah-Nia

    (The Scripps Research Institute)

  • Jiawei Sun

    (Stanford University)

  • Jenna Kim Ahn

    (Stanford University)

  • Kerwyn Casey Huang

    (Stanford University
    Stanford University School of Medicine
    Chan Zuckerberg Biohub)

  • James R. Williamson

    (The Scripps Research Institute)

  • Alfred Michael Spormann

    (Stanford University
    Stanford University
    Aarhus University)

Abstract

Allocation of resources in the costly proteome reflects trade-offs between cellular functions. For example, proteome composition of Escherichia coli is significantly regulated by growth rate. An increasing anabolic, especially ribosomal, proteome fraction correlates with a decreasing catabolic proteome fraction at faster growth, which then leads to changes in catabolism. Our systems-level studies of the thermophilic acetogen Thermoanaerobacter kivui when growth rate is varied over two orders of magnitude revealed a different strategy: proteome allocation is only partially controlled by growth rate, and metabolic rates are primarily controlled posttranslationally. At slower growth, ribosome numbers are controlled by rRNA concentrations with an excess of ribosomal proteins. Composition of the catabolic proteome is uncoupled from catabolic rates as indicated by flux analysis. This study adds to the understanding of acetogenic Clostridia, which are of interest for biotechnological processes in a carbon-neutral economy, and points to a complex landscape of microbial ecophysiological strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Franziska Maria Mueller & Albert Leopold Müller & Wenyu Gu & Farshad Abdollah-Nia & Jiawei Sun & Jenna Kim Ahn & Kerwyn Casey Huang & James R. Williamson & Alfred Michael Spormann, 2025. "Non-canonical resource allocation in heterotrophically growing Thermoanaerobacter kivui," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-63432-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63432-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Conghui You & Hiroyuki Okano & Sheng Hui & Zhongge Zhang & Minsu Kim & Carl W. Gunderson & Yi-Ping Wang & Peter Lenz & Dalai Yan & Terence Hwa, 2013. "Coordination of bacterial proteome with metabolism by cyclic AMP signalling," Nature, Nature, vol. 500(7462), pages 301-306, August.
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    4. Antrea Pavlou & Eugenio Cinquemani & Corinne Pinel & Nils Giordano & Van Melle-Gateau Mathilde & Irina Mihalcescu & Johannes Geiselmann & Hidde Jong, 2025. "Single-cell data reveal heterogeneity of investment in ribosomes across a bacterial population," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-16, December.
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