| | |  | | | | Record from Web of Science® | | | | | | |
| Design principles of a bacterial signalling network |
|
|
| Author(s): Kollmann M, Lovdok L, Bartholome K, Timmer J, Sourjik V |
| Source: NATURE Volume: 438 Issue: 7067 Pages: 504-507 Published: NOV 24 2005 |
| Times Cited: 65 References: 30 |
| Abstract: Cellular biochemical networks have to function in a noisy environment using imperfect components. In particular, networks involved in gene regulation or signal transduction allow only for small output tolerances, and the underlying network structures can be expected to have undergone evolution for inherent robustness against perturbations(1). Here we combine theoretical and experimental analyses to investigate an optimal design for the signalling network of bacterial chemotaxis, one of the most thoroughly studied signalling networks in biology. We experimentally determine the extent of intercellular variations in the expression levels of chemotaxis proteins and use computer simulations to quantify the robustness of several hypothetical chemotaxis pathway topologies to such gene expression noise. We demonstrate that among these topologies the experimentally established chemotaxis network of Escherichia coli has the smallest sufficiently robust network structure, allowing accurate chemotactic response for almost all individuals within a population. Our results suggest that this pathway has evolved to show an optimal chemotactic performance while minimizing the cost of resources associated with high levels of protein expression. Moreover, the underlying topological design principles compensating for intercellular variations seem to be highly conserved among bacterial chemosensory systems(2). |
| Document Type: Article |
| Language: English |
| Reprint Address: Kollmann, M (reprint author), Univ Freiburg, Inst Phys, Hermann Herder Str 3, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany |
Addresses:
1. Univ Freiburg, Inst Phys, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
2. Univ Heidelberg, ZMBH, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
3. Univ Freiburg, FDM, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany |
| Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP, MACMILLAN BUILDING, 4 CRINAN ST, LONDON N1 9XW, ENGLAND |
| Subject Category: Multidisciplinary Sciences |
| IDS Number: 986NY |
| ISSN: 0028-0836 |
| DOI: 10.1038/nature04228 |
|
| | | | | | | | | Record from Web of Science® | | | | | | | | | |