Zemer Gitai

Nov 20, 2024 | biorxiv.org | Handuo Shi |Jeffrey P. Nguyen |Zemer Gitai |Joshua W. Shaevitz

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanisms that dictate the localization of cytoskeletal filaments is crucial for elucidating cell shape regulation in prokaryotes. The actin homolog MreB plays a pivotal role in maintaining the shape of many rod-shaped bacteria such as Escherichia coli by directing cell-wall synthesis according to local curvature cues. However, the basis of MreB's curvature-dependent localization has remained elusive.

Jul 12, 2024 | nature.com | Meera Gupta |Eli Costa |Thao Nguyen |Thảo Nguyen |Michael Stadlmeier |Benjamin P. Bratton | +2 more

AbstractProtein turnover is critical for proteostasis, but turnover quantification is challenging, and even in well-studied E. coli, proteome-wide measurements remain scarce. Here, we quantify the turnover rates of ~3200 E. coli proteins under 13 conditions by combining heavy isotope labeling with complement reporter ion quantification and find that cytoplasmic proteins are recycled when nitrogen is limited.

Dec 10, 2023 | biorxiv.org | Ashwin Ramachandran |Howard Stone |Zemer Gitai

AbstractPlanktonic (free-floating) cells are typically assumed to be oblivious to any flow that carries them. Here we discover that planktonic bacteria can sense flow to induce gene expression changes that are beneficial in flow. Specifically, planktonic P. aeruginosa induce shear-rate-dependent genes that promote growth in low oxygen environments. Untangling this mechanism revealed that in flow, motile P.

Nov 30, 2023 | biorxiv.org | Jacob G Marogi |Coleen Murphy |Cameron Myhrvold |Zemer Gitai

AbstractDetecting chemical signals is important for identifying food sources and avoiding harmful agents. Like most animals, C. elegans use olfaction to chemotax towards their main food source, bacteria. However, little is known about the bacterial compounds governing C. elegans attraction to bacteria and the physiological importance of these compounds to bacteria.