Microbial cell individuality is a source of phenotypic heterogeneity. This heterogeneity is related to stochastic fluctuations in transcription or translation, despite genetically homogeneous background and constant environment conditions. Heterogeneity at a single-cell level is typically masked in conventional studies of microbial populations, which are based on the average behaviour of thousands or millions of cells. Here we developed a semi-automated protocol to study the growth kinetics parameters of single-growing unit (single cell or single-chain) in the dairy bacterium S. thermophilus. The results obtained revealed an unexpected heterogeneity in the lag-phase and max-velocity showing a modal distribution of the measured values. Lag-phase and max-velocity values have been significantly modified by changing the energetic status of the single-growing units before their transfer into a new medium. The approach developed could be useful to set-up the best environmental perturbations able to reduce or increase the phenotypic single-cell heterogeneity in S. thermophilus population.

Single-growing units heterogeneity in Streptococcus thermophilus / D. Zambelli, D. Mora, S. Arioli, S. Guglielmetti. ((Intervento presentato al 1. convegno International Conference on Microbial Diversity tenutosi a Milano, Italy nel 2011.

Single-growing units heterogeneity in Streptococcus thermophilus

D. Mora
Secondo
;
S. Arioli
Penultimo
;
S. Guglielmetti
Ultimo
2011

Abstract

Microbial cell individuality is a source of phenotypic heterogeneity. This heterogeneity is related to stochastic fluctuations in transcription or translation, despite genetically homogeneous background and constant environment conditions. Heterogeneity at a single-cell level is typically masked in conventional studies of microbial populations, which are based on the average behaviour of thousands or millions of cells. Here we developed a semi-automated protocol to study the growth kinetics parameters of single-growing unit (single cell or single-chain) in the dairy bacterium S. thermophilus. The results obtained revealed an unexpected heterogeneity in the lag-phase and max-velocity showing a modal distribution of the measured values. Lag-phase and max-velocity values have been significantly modified by changing the energetic status of the single-growing units before their transfer into a new medium. The approach developed could be useful to set-up the best environmental perturbations able to reduce or increase the phenotypic single-cell heterogeneity in S. thermophilus population.
ott-2011
Settore AGR/16 - Microbiologia Agraria
Università degli Studi di Milano
Società Italiana di Microbiologia Agraria, Alimentare e Ambientale
http://www.biotagr.unipd.it/md2011/#
Single-growing units heterogeneity in Streptococcus thermophilus / D. Zambelli, D. Mora, S. Arioli, S. Guglielmetti. ((Intervento presentato al 1. convegno International Conference on Microbial Diversity tenutosi a Milano, Italy nel 2011.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/166940
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