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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NCFEBS Letters

Cell geometry and membrane protein crowding constrain Escherichia coli growth rate, overflow metabolism, respiration, and maintenance energy

  • Ross P. Carlson1
  • Tomáš Gedeon2
  • Mauricio Garcia Benitez3
  • Campbell Putnam1
  • William R. Harcombe4
  • Radhakrishnan Mahadevan3
  • Ashley E. Beck5
5 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biofilm Engineering Montana State University Bozeman MT USA
  2. 2Department of Mathematical Sciences Montana State University Bozeman MT USA
  3. 3Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry University of Toronto Canada
  4. 4Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota St. Paul MN USA
  5. 5Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Carroll College Helena MT USA
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Abstract

K-12 strains MG1655 and NCM3722. The strains are genetically similar but differ in surface area to volume (SA:V) ratios by up to 30%, maximum growth rates on glucose media by 40%, and overflow-inducing growth rates by 80%. The predictions were tested against experimental evidence including phenomics data, membrane proteomics data, and MG1655 SA:V mutant growth rates. The predictions were remarkably consistent with experimental data and provided a membrane-centric explanation for maximum growth rate, maintenance energy generation, respiration chain efficiency (P/O number), and optimal biomass yield of a strain. These analyses did not consider cytosolic macromolecular crowding, highlighting the distinct properties of the presented theory and gaps in current cell biology literature. Cell geometry and membrane protein crowding are significant biophysical constraints and consideration of both provide a more complete theoretical framework for improved understanding and control of cell biology.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{carlson2026cell,
  title = {{Cell geometry and membrane protein crowding constrain Escherichia coli growth rate, overflow metabolism, respiration, and maintenance energy}},
  author = {Ross P. Carlson and Tomáš Gedeon and Mauricio Garcia Benitez and Campbell Putnam and William R. Harcombe and Radhakrishnan Mahadevan and Ashley E. Beck},
  journal = {FEBS Letters},
  year = {2026},
  month = jun,
  doi = {10.1002/1873-3468.70380},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.70380},
  note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Cell geometry and membrane protein crowding constrain Escherichia coli growth rate, overflow metabolism, respiration, and maintenance energy
AU  - Ross P. Carlson
AU  - Tomáš Gedeon
AU  - Mauricio Garcia Benitez
AU  - Campbell Putnam
AU  - William R. Harcombe
AU  - Radhakrishnan Mahadevan
AU  - Ashley E. Beck
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/24
JO  - FEBS Letters
DO  - 10.1002/1873-3468.70380
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.70380
AB  - K-12 strains MG1655 and NCM3722. The strains are genetically similar but differ in surface area to volume (SA:V) ratios by up to 30%, maximum growth rates on glucose media by 40%, and overflow-inducing growth rates by 80%. The predictions were tested against experimental evidence including phenomics data, membrane proteomics data, and MG1655 SA:V mutant growth rates. The predictions were remarkably consistent with experimental data and provided a membrane-centric explanation for maximum growth rate, maintenance energy generation, respiration chain efficiency (P/O number), and optimal biomass yield of a strain. These analyses did not consider cytosolic macromolecular crowding, highlighting the distinct properties of the presented theory and gaps in current cell biology literature. Cell geometry and membrane protein crowding are significant biophysical constraints and consideration of both provide a more complete theoretical framework for improved understanding and control of cell biology.
SN  - 0014-5793
SN  - 1873-3468
ER  -