Genetic regulation of fluxes: iron homeostasis of Escherichia coli

TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetic regulation of fluxes

T2 - iron homeostasis of Escherichia coli

AU - Semsey, Szabolcs

AU - Andersson, Anna M C

AU - Krishna, Sandeep

AU - Jensen, Mogens Høgh

AU - Massé, Eric

AU - Sneppen, Kim

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Iron is an essential trace-element for most organisms. However, because high concentration of free intracellular iron is cytotoxic, cells have developed complex regulatory networks that keep free intracellular iron concentration at optimal range, allowing the incorporation of the metal into iron-using enzymes and minimizing damage to the cell. We built a mathematical model of the network that controls iron uptake and usage in the bacterium Escherichia coli to explore the dynamics of iron flow. We simulate the effect of sudden decrease or increase in the extracellular iron level on intracellular iron distribution. Based on the results of simulations we discuss the possible roles of the small RNA RyhB and the Fe-S cluster assembly systems in the optimal redistribution of iron flows. We suggest that Fe-S cluster assembly is crucial to prevent the accumulation of toxic levels of free intracellular iron when the environment suddenly becomes iron rich.

AB - Iron is an essential trace-element for most organisms. However, because high concentration of free intracellular iron is cytotoxic, cells have developed complex regulatory networks that keep free intracellular iron concentration at optimal range, allowing the incorporation of the metal into iron-using enzymes and minimizing damage to the cell. We built a mathematical model of the network that controls iron uptake and usage in the bacterium Escherichia coli to explore the dynamics of iron flow. We simulate the effect of sudden decrease or increase in the extracellular iron level on intracellular iron distribution. Based on the results of simulations we discuss the possible roles of the small RNA RyhB and the Fe-S cluster assembly systems in the optimal redistribution of iron flows. We suggest that Fe-S cluster assembly is crucial to prevent the accumulation of toxic levels of free intracellular iron when the environment suddenly becomes iron rich.

KW - Biological Transport

KW - Escherichia coli

KW - Escherichia coli Proteins

KW - Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial

KW - Homeostasis

KW - Iron

KW - Iron-Sulfur Proteins

KW - Kinetics

KW - Models, Biological

KW - Systems Biology

KW - Journal Article

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

U2 - 10.1093/nar/gkl627

DO - 10.1093/nar/gkl627

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16982641

SN - 0305-1048

VL - 34

SP - 4960

EP - 4967

JO - Nucleic Acids Research

JF - Nucleic Acids Research

IS - 17

ER -