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Asymmetry and aging of mycobacterial cells: a novel mechanism of diversification
Author(s) -
Fortune Sarah M
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.466.1
Subject(s) - cell division , biology , population , mechanism (biology) , cell , diversification (marketing strategy) , division (mathematics) , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , philosophy , arithmetic , mathematics , epistemology , marketing , business , demography , sociology
Cells use both deterministic and stochastic mechanisms to generate cell–to‐cell heterogeneity, which enables the population to better withstand environmental stress. Within a clonal population of mycobacteria there is significan heterogeneity in elongation rate that arises because mycobacteria grow in an unusual, unipolar fashion. Division of the asymmetrically growing mother cell gives rise to daughter cells with different functional properties. Importantly, the physiologically distinct subpopulations of cells that arise through asymmetric growth and division are differentially susceptible to clinically important classes of antibiotics.