title: Correlation between genome reduction and bacterial growth.
abstract: Genome reduction by removing dispensable genomic sequences in bacteria is commonly used in both fundamental and applied studies to determine the minimal genetic requirements for a living system or to develop highly efficient bioreactors. Nevertheless, whether and how the accumulative loss of dispensable genomic sequences disturbs bacterial growth remains unclear. To investigate the relationship between genome reduction and growth, a series of Escherichia coli strains carrying genomes reduced in a stepwise manner were used. Intensive growth analyses revealed that the accumulation of multiple genomic deletions caused decreases in the exponential growth rate and the saturated cell density in a deletion-length-dependent manner as well as gradual changes in the patterns of growth dynamics, regardless of the growth media. Accordingly, a perspective growth model linking genome evolution to genome engineering was proposed. This study provides the first demonstration of a quantitative connection between genomic sequence and bacterial growth, indicating that growth rate is potentially associated with dispensable genomic sequences.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaomi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seno
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan ying.beiwen.gf@u.tsukuba.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Bei-Wen
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Ying
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D042822:Genomic Instability; D008957:Models, Genetic; D017384:Sequence Deletion
keywords: accessory gene; dispensable genomic sequence; genome reduction; growth rate