The role of ppGpp in E. coli cell size control

More Info
expand_more

Abstract

Bacteria have been an integral part of human life since the ancient times either as cooperative tenants living in and around us or as constant threats to our health and wellbeing. Since prehistoric times we unknowingly used them as tools of fermentation and fought against them with haphazardly discovered natural remedies. Today, after more than 3 centuries since they were first observed with a microscope, our understanding of their functions has increased immensely along with our ability to alter it. We have discovered on a molecular level how life stores and transfers information, how this information is used to build biochemical machines with a myriad of functions, namely proteins, and how these proteins undertake their functions. Along with a better understanding came the ability to alter the biological information within DNA and to create new proteins that does not occur in nature.