Posttranslational regulation of microbial metabolism. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kochanowski, Karl; Sauer, Uwe; Noor, Elad
• Is Part Of: Current opinion in microbiology. Volume 27(2015)
• Page Start: 10
• Page End: 17
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: Microbiology -- Periodicals; 579.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2015.05.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-5274

Abstract

Highlights: Transcriptional regulation allocates protein resource between metabolic pathways. Thermodynamics and saturation allow flexibility but with higher protein cost. PTMs and allosteric regulation facilitate localized rapid metabolic responses. Our ability to detect posttranslational regulatory events has greatly increased. The next challenge is to identify functionally relevant events. Abstract : Fluxes in microbial metabolism are controlled by various regulatory layers that alter abundance or activity of metabolic enzymes. Recent studies suggest a division of labor between these layers: transcriptional regulation mostly controls the allocation of protein resources, passive flux regulation by enzyme saturation and thermodynamics allows rapid responses at the expense of higher protein cost, and posttranslational regulation is utilized by cells to directly take control of metabolic decisions. We present recent advances in elucidating the role of these regulatory layers, focusing on posttranslational modifications and allosteric interactions. As the systematic mapping of posttranslational regulatory events has now become possible, the next challenge is to identify those regulatory events that are functionally relevant under a given condition.