Bet-hedging during bacterial diauxic shift

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1320063111
• Publication Date: 2014-05-06T05:45:42Z
• Authors: Ana Solopova; Jordi van Gestel; Franz J. Weissing; Herwig Bachmann; Bas Teusink; Jan Kok; Oscar P. Kuipers
• Keywords: Phenomenon; Bacterial growth

Significance More than 70 years ago, Monod described the phenomenon of diauxic growth bacteria, observation that in presence two alternative sugars, cells first use one them and then, after a short lag phase, switch to other. Until now it had been assumed all population engage outgrowth on second sugar major metabolic adaptation enzymatic composition has occurred, which takes time (hence phase growth). Here, we show actually only subpopulation is fit enough partake present an evolutionary model, suggesting this might entail bet-hedging strategy helps bacteria adapt unexpectedly changing environment.