Journal Article

Microorganisms maintain crowding homeostasis

van den Berg, Jonas, Boersma, Arnold J., Poolman, Bert

2017

Overview

Macromolecular crowding affects the physicochemistry of the cytoplasm and, in turn, microbial physiology. We propose that cells maintain the overall concentration of macromolecules within a narrow range (a process that we refer to as 'homeocrowding') and discuss possible mechanisms for achieving this. Macromolecular crowding affects the mobility of biomolecules, protein folding and stability, and the association of macromolecules with each other. Local differences in crowding that arise as a result of subcellular components and supramolecular assemblies contribute to the structural organization of the cytoplasm. In this Opinion article we discuss how macromolecular crowding affects the physicochemistry of the cytoplasm and how this, in turn, affects microbial physiology. We propose that cells maintain the overall concentration of macromolecules within a narrow range and discuss possible mechanisms for achieving crowding homeostasis. In addition, we propose that the term 'homeocrowding' is used to describe the process by which cells maintain relatively constant levels of macromolecules.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 631/326/88 / 631/80/83 / Cell division / Cell regulation / Crowding / Cytoplasm / Cytoplasm - physiology / Escherichia coli - metabolism / Genetic aspects / Gram-positive bacteria / Homeostasis / Infectious Diseases / Life Sciences / Macromolecular Substances - metabolism / Macromolecules / Medical Microbiology / Microbiological research / Microbiology / Microorganisms / opinion-2 / Osmotic Pressure - physiology / Parasitology / Physicochemical properties / Physiology / Polyethylene glycol / Properties / Protein Folding / Proteins / Virology / Water