Mechanisms of the correlation between genome reduction and growth rate

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H03215
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 43060:System genome science-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Ying Bei-Wen 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 准教授 (90422401)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ゲノム縮小 / 実験進化 / 増殖速度 / 遺伝子発現 / 周期性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to explain the correlation between genome reduction and growth rate in Escherichia coli by the chromosomal periodicity of gene expression. We comprehensively measured E. coli growth, experimental evolution, genome mutation, and gene expression analysis. As a result, we found that the chromosomal periods of gene expression maintained conserved; however, the periodic amplitude and phase differed from that of the full-length genome (wild type). Such divergence led to the decreased growth rates of reduced genomes. Experimental evolution restored the growth rates of genome-reduced strains, correlated to the recovery of the chromosomal periodicity of gene expression. In summary, bacterial growth was globally determined by the periodic order of the transcriptome.

Free Research Field

ゲノムシステム生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでは膨大な実験と解析からゲノムワイドな情報を得たにもかかわらず、個別の分子機能に注目してしまい、ゲノムやシステム全体を表す特定の法則やパターンの抽出が困難であった。本研究はゲノム縮小と増殖速度を定量的に結びつけ、遺伝子発現のゲノム周期性に着目することにより、遺伝情報の全体をカバーするゲノムと生命動態の指標である増殖を繋いだ。システムゲノム科学に新奇的な視点を与えた。