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Challenges of analysing stochastic gene expression in bacteria using single-cell time-lapse experiments.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Hardo, Georgeos 

Abstract

Stochastic gene expression causes phenotypic heterogeneity in a population of genetically identical bacterial cells. Such non-genetic heterogeneity can have important consequences for the population fitness, and therefore cells implement regulation strategies to either suppress or exploit such heterogeneity to adapt to their circumstances. By employing time-lapse microscopy of single cells, the fluctuation dynamics of gene expression may be analysed, and their regulatory mechanisms thus deciphered. However, a careful consideration of the experimental design and data-analysis is needed to produce useful data for deriving meaningful insights from them. In the present paper, the individual steps and challenges involved in a time-lapse experiment are discussed, and a rigorous framework for designing, performing, and extracting single-cell gene expression dynamics data from such experiments is outlined.

Description

Keywords

Fluorescent reporters, Point spread function, Single molecule imaging, microfluidics, stochastic gene expression, timelapse imaging, Adaptation, Physiological, Bacteria, Gene Expression, Microscopy, Time-Lapse Imaging

Journal Title

Essays Biochem

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0071-1365
1744-1358

Volume Title

65

Publisher

Portland Press Ltd.