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Title: Computational Modeling and Evolutionary Implications of Biochemical Reactions in Bacterial Microcompartments

Journal Article · · Current Opinion in Microbiology

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are protein-encapsulated compartments found across at least 23 bacterial phyla. BMCs contain a variety of metabolic processes that share the commonality of toxic or volatile intermediates, oxygen-sensitive enzymes and cofactors, or increased substrate concentration for magnified reaction rates. These compartmentalized reactions have been computationally modeled to explore the encapsulated dynamics, ask evolutionary-based questions, and develop a more systematic understanding required for the engineering of novel BMCs. Many crucial aspects of these systems remain unknown or unmeasured, such as substrate permeabilities across the protein shell, feasibility of pH gradients, and transport rates of associated substrates into the cell. This review explores existing BMC models, dominated in the literature by cyanobacterial carboxysomes, and highlights potentially important areas for exploration.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); University of Colorado Boulder, National Science Foundation (NSF)
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1832432
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-2800-81500; MainId:82273; UUID:1787ff48-e9f9-4402-ad51-e7173a6ac83a; MainAdminID:63328
Journal Information:
Current Opinion in Microbiology, Vol. 65
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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