Dynamical Allocation of Cellular Resources as an Optimal Control Problem: Novel Insights into Microbial Growth Strategies

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004802
• Publication Date: 2016-03-09T18:48:00Z
• Authors: Nils Giordano; Francis Mairet; Jean-Luc Gouzé; Johannes Geiselmann; Hidde de Jong
• Keywords: Maximization; Bacterial growth; Synthetic Biology

Microbial physiology exhibits growth laws that relate the macromolecular composition of cell to rate. Recent work has shown these empirical regularities can be derived from coarse-grained models resource allocation. While studies focus on steady-state growth, such conditions are rarely found in natural habitats, where microorganisms continually challenged by environmental fluctuations. The aim this paper is extend study microbial strategies dynamical environments, using a self-replicator model. We formulate maximization as an optimal control problem solved Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle. compare theoretical gold standard with different possible implementations bacterial cells. find simple enabling growth-rate at steady state suboptimal for transitions one regime another, example when shifting cells medium supporting higher A near-optimal strategy require information several, rather than single physiological variable. Interestingly, structural analogies regulation ribosomal protein synthesis ppGpp enterobacterium Escherichia coli. It involves sensing mismatch between precursor and ribosome concentrations, well adjustment switch-like manner. Our results show how capability regulatory systems integrate about several variables critical optimizing changing environment.