title: How crowded is the prokaryotic cytoplasm?
abstract: We consider biomacromolecular crowding within the cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells as a two-phase system of 'supercrowded' cytogel and 'dilute' cytosol; we simplify and quantify this model for a coccoid cell over a wide range of biomacromolecular crowding. The key result shows that the supercrowded cytogel extends the vectorial character of the plasma membrane deeper into the cytoplasm by about 20-70 nm. We discuss useful physiological insights that this model gives into the functioning of a prokaryotic cell on the micrometer scale.
authors.affiliation: Mallard Creek Polymers, Inc., 14700 Mallard Creek Road, Charlotte, NC 28262, USA. jspitz@mcpolymers.com
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Poolman
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D004058:Diffusion; D008954:Models, Biological; D011387:Prokaryotic Cells / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins