Characterization of cost with respect to nutritional upshift in the media composition along with sublethal doses of transcriptional and translational inhibitor

Abstract

Expression of unnecessary proteins is known to reduce the growth rate of Escherichia coli. This reduction in growth rate, due to the diversion of cellular resources from making essential proteins, is called cost. Cellular resources depend upon the macromolecular content of the cell. Cost phenomenon lies in the process of transcription and translation. The effect of an upshift in the nutritional content of the medium on the cost process of natural lac proteins is not looked upon. Which process of gene expression, transcription, or translation is more important for the cost process is not clear. The current study indicated that cost process is not associated with the upshift mechanism. Cost process was not observed in presence of rifampicin but was detected in existence of chloramphenicol. The current study will help in better understanding of the cost process.