Bacterial populations grow clonal populations; however, individual cells have a variety of phenotypes. The physiological heterogeneity observed in populations has been attributed to variations in the processes of gene expression. For example, promoter expression has been shown to be heterogeneous within a population and contribute to increased stress tolerance in a subpopulation of cells. In comparison to transcription, the influence of translation on single cells is unclear. In this study, my collaborators and I have developed a dual-fluorescence reporter that allows us to measure the mistranslation rate in single cells in vivo. Using this reporter, we found that mistranslation rates are heterogeneous in bacterial populations. Additionally, our work has provided insights into the mechanisms that affect mistranslation rates in vivo, such as overall protein synthesis rates and the activity of release factor proteins.
The accuracy of protein synthesis has a significant effect on bacterial physiology. Severe increases in mistranslation result in the accumulation of misfolded proteins that can be detrimental and lethal to the cell. Despite the cost of errors during translation, the process of translation is error-prone in comparison to other processes of gene expression. Surprisingly, a number of benefits have been found as a result of mistranslation including increased oxidative stress and antibiotic tolerance. My research has found that the heterogeneity of mistranslation in a population results in a subpopulation of cells that recover quickly from starvation. Additionally, in a population-based study, I have found that the mistranslation-induced heat shock response is not detrimental and, instead, protects cells from future lethal heat stress. Together, this study characterizes the heterogeneity of mistranslation in single cells for the first time and identifies the beneficial role mistranslation can have in single cell and population-based physiology.
","abstract_html":"<p>Bacterial populations grow clonal populations; however, individual cells have a variety of phenotypes. The physiological heterogeneity observed in populations has been attributed to variations in the processes of gene expression. For example, promoter expression has been shown to be heterogeneous within a population and contribute to increased stress tolerance in a subpopulation of cells. In comparison to transcription, the influence of translation on single cells is unclear. In this study, my collaborators and I have developed a dual-fluorescence reporter that allows us to measure the mistranslation rate in single cells <em>in vivo</em>. Using this reporter, we found that mistranslation rates are heterogeneous in bacterial populations. Additionally, our work has provided insights into the mechanisms that affect mistranslation rates <em>in vivo</em>, such as overall protein synthesis rates and the activity of release factor proteins.</p> <p>The accuracy of protein synthesis has a significant effect on bacterial physiology. Severe increases in mistranslation result in the accumulation of misfolded proteins that can be detrimental and lethal to the cell. Despite the cost of errors during translation, the process of translation is error-prone in comparison to other processes of gene expression. Surprisingly, a number of benefits have been found as a result of mistranslation including increased oxidative stress and antibiotic tolerance. My research has found that the heterogeneity of mistranslation in a population results in a subpopulation of cells that recover quickly from starvation. Additionally, in a population-based study, I have found that the mistranslation-induced heat shock response is not detrimental and, instead, protects cells from future lethal heat stress. Together, this study characterizes the heterogeneity of mistranslation in single cells for the first time and identifies the beneficial role mistranslation can have in single cell and population-based physiology.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Evans, Christopher","0000-0001-9179-3875
"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation (PhD)","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Jiqiang 'Lanny' Ling","Dr. William Margolin","Dr. Kevin Morano"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:49:23Z","subjects":["Mistranslation","Single Cell","Heterogeneity","Escherichia coli","Heat Shock","Starvation","Cellular and Molecular Physiology","Medicine and Health Sciences","Microbial Physiology","Microbiology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/utgsbs_dissertations/902","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Jiqiang 'Lanny' Ling","Dr. William Margolin","Dr. Kevin Morano"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Evans, Christopher","0000-0001-9179-3875
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The accuracy of protein synthesis has a significant effect on bacterial physiology. Severe increases in mistranslation result in the accumulation of misfolded proteins that can be detrimental and lethal to the cell. Despite the cost of errors during translation, the process of translation is error-prone in comparison to other processes of gene expression. Surprisingly, a number of benefits have been found as a result of mistranslation including increased oxidative stress and antibiotic tolerance. My research has found that the heterogeneity of mistranslation in a population results in a subpopulation of cells that recover quickly from starvation. Additionally, in a population-based study, I have found that the mistranslation-induced heat shock response is not detrimental and, instead, protects cells from future lethal heat stress. Together, this study characterizes the heterogeneity of mistranslation in single cells for the first time and identifies the beneficial role mistranslation can have in single cell and population-based physiology.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Investigating The Single Cell Heterogeneity and Physiological Impact of Mistranslation"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Jiqiang 'Lanny' Ling","Dr. William Margolin","Dr. Kevin Morano"],"dc:creator":["Evans, Christopher","0000-0001-9179-3875
"],"dc:date.available":["2019-09-25T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Bacterial populations grow clonal populations; however, individual cells have a variety of phenotypes. The physiological heterogeneity observed in populations has been attributed to variations in the processes of gene expression. For example, promoter expression has been shown to be heterogeneous within a population and contribute to increased stress tolerance in a subpopulation of cells. In comparison to transcription, the influence of translation on single cells is unclear. In this study, my collaborators and I have developed a dual-fluorescence reporter that allows us to measure the mistranslation rate in single cells in vivo. Using this reporter, we found that mistranslation rates are heterogeneous in bacterial populations. Additionally, our work has provided insights into the mechanisms that affect mistranslation rates in vivo, such as overall protein synthesis rates and the activity of release factor proteins.
The accuracy of protein synthesis has a significant effect on bacterial physiology. Severe increases in mistranslation result in the accumulation of misfolded proteins that can be detrimental and lethal to the cell. Despite the cost of errors during translation, the process of translation is error-prone in comparison to other processes of gene expression. Surprisingly, a number of benefits have been found as a result of mistranslation including increased oxidative stress and antibiotic tolerance. My research has found that the heterogeneity of mistranslation in a population results in a subpopulation of cells that recover quickly from starvation. Additionally, in a population-based study, I have found that the mistranslation-induced heat shock response is not detrimental and, instead, protects cells from future lethal heat stress. Together, this study characterizes the heterogeneity of mistranslation in single cells for the first time and identifies the beneficial role mistranslation can have in single cell and population-based physiology.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/utgsbs_dissertations/902"],"dc:subject":["Mistranslation","Single Cell","Heterogeneity","Escherichia coli","Heat Shock","Starvation","Cellular and Molecular Physiology","Medicine and Health Sciences","Microbial Physiology","Microbiology"],"dc:title":["Investigating The Single Cell Heterogeneity and Physiological Impact of Mistranslation"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation (PhD)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:49:23Z"}