Research

Transient increase of ATP as a response to temperature up-shift in Escherichia coli

Jaakko Soini¹ , Christina Falschlehner¹ , Christina Mayer¹ , Daniela Böhm¹ , Stefan Weinel² , Johanna Panula¹ , Antti Vasala¹ and Peter Neubauer^1,2

¹  Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory and Biocenter Oulu, Department of Process and Environmental Engineering, University of Oulu, P.O.Box 4300, FI – 90014 Oulu, Finland

²  Institute for Biotechnology, Department of Biochemistry/Biotechnology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany

author email corresponding author email

Microbial Cell Factories 2005, 4:9doi:10.1186/1475-2859-4-9

Published:	1 April 2005

Abstract

Background

Escherichia coli induces the heat shock response to a temperature up-shift which is connected to the synthesis of a characteristic set of proteins, including ATP dependent chaperones and proteases. Therefore the balance of the nucleotide pool is important for the adaptation and continuous function of the cell. Whereas it has been observed in eukaryotic cells, that the ATP level immediately decreased after the temperature shift, no data are available for E. coli about the adenosine nucleotide levels during the narrow time range of minutes after a temperature up-shift.

Results

The current study shows that a temperature up-shift is followed by a very fast significant transient increase of the cellular ATP concentration within the first minutes. This increase is connected to a longer lasting elevation of the cellular respiration and glucose uptake. Also the mRNA level of typical heat shock genes increases within only one minute after the heat-shock.

Conclusion

The presented data prove the very fast response of E. coli to a heat-shock and that the initial response includes the increase of the ATP pool which is important to fulfil the need of the cell for new syntheses, as well as for the function of chaperones and proteases.