Transcription and Translation Dynamics in Live Escherichia coli

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

This project uses state-of-the-art live cell microscopy to unravel fundamental mechanisms that control how quickly bacterial cells grow. The resulting better understanding of the inner workings of bacterial cells not only advances important basic knowledge but may also eventually lead to novel therapies for bacterial infections. Graduate students engaged in this interdisciplinary work will learn bacterial genetics and biochemistry and develop strong quantitative skills in biophysical measurement and data analysis. The transfer of genomic information from DNA to protein occurs via an mRNA intermediate. In bacterial cells, efficient cell growth requires close coupling of the processes of RNA synthesis (transcription) and protein synthesis (translation). However, the mechanisms that control how transcription and translation are coordinated in time and space are not clear. Recently developed fluorescence microscopy methods have made it possible to track the molecules responsible for transcription (RNA polymerase) and translation (ribosome) in live Escherichia coli cells. This research will take advantage of this new technology to determine how genes, RNA polymerase molecules, and ribosomes are distributed within the cytoplasm and how they move over time, with spatial precision of about 30 nanometers and time resolution of about 10 milliseconds. The data will be used to generate new biophysical and biochemical models of how transcription and translation are synchronized to facilitate rapid bacterial growth. Moreover, the results are anticipated to provide generalizable insights into how three-dimensional spatial and temporal organization can optimize cellular outputs from distinct biochemical processes.