Noise in bacterial gene expression.
Christoph EnglPublished in: Biochemical Society transactions (2018)
The expression level of a gene can fluctuate significantly between individuals within a population of genetically identical cells. The resultant phenotypic heterogeneity could be exploited by bacteria to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Noise is hence a genome-wide phenomenon that arises from the stochastic nature of the biochemical reactions that take place during gene expression and the relatively low abundance of the molecules involved. The production of mRNA and proteins therefore occurs in bursts, with alternating episodes of high and low activity during transcription and translation. Single-cell and single-molecule studies demonstrated that noise within gene expression is influenced by a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. However, our mechanistic understanding of this process at the molecular level is still rather limited. Further investigation is necessary that takes into account the detailed knowledge of gene regulation gained from biochemical studies.
Keyphrases
- gene expression
- single molecule
- dna methylation
- genome wide
- single cell
- air pollution
- induced apoptosis
- rna seq
- atomic force microscopy
- healthcare
- case control
- living cells
- transcription factor
- signaling pathway
- oxidative stress
- cell proliferation
- antibiotic resistance genes
- microbial community
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- life cycle
- wastewater treatment