Evolution of Escherichia coli for growth at high temperatures

Author: Rudolph, B.; Gebendorfer, K.M.; Buchner, J.; Winter, J.

Description: Evolution depends on the acquisition of genomic mutations that increase cellular fitness. Here, we evolved Escherichia coli MG1655 cells to grow at extreme temperatures. We obtained a maximum growth temperature of 48.5 degrees C, which was not increased further upon continuous cultivation at this temperature for >600 generations. Despite a permanently induced heat shock response in thermoresistant cells, only exquisitely high GroEL/GroES levels are essential for growth at 48.5 degrees C. They depend on the presence of lysyl-tRNA-synthetase, LysU, because deletion of lysU rendered thermoresistant cells thermosensitive. Our data suggest that GroEL/GroES are especially required for the folding of mutated proteins generated during evolution. GroEL/GroES therefore appear as mediators of evolution of extremely heat-resistant E. coli cells.

Subject headings: Chaperonin 10/metabolism; Chaperonin 60/metabolism; Chaperonins/chemistry; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional/methods; Escherichia coli/genetics; Escherichia coli Proteins/metabolism; Evolution, Molecular; Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism; Hot Temperature; Models, Biological; Mutation; Proteins/chemistry; Proteomics/methods; Temperature; Time Factors

Publication year: 2010

Journal or book title: The Journal of Biological Chemistry

Volume: 285

Issue: 25

Pages: 19029-19034

Find the full text : http://www.jbc.org/content/285/25/19029.short

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Type: Journal Article

Serial number: 311