ArticleCell2016
Relative Rates of Surface and Volume Synthesis Set Bacterial Cell Size.
Article in Cell, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 118 papers.
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Who cites it
118 citing papers in PubMed.
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- Synergistic anti-hepatoma effect of triptolide and quercetinWorld journal of gastroenterology · 2026Article
- Rethinking the plasmid paradox: when plasmid costs do not affect fitness.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Article
- Growth stage and interspecies interactions shape the cell biology and cell cycle characteristics of human gut bacteria Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Roseburia intestinalis.Communications biology · 2025Article
- Modulation of bacterial cell size and growth rate via activation of a cell envelope stress response.mBio · 2025Article
- Mechanics ofMolecular biology of the cell · 2025Article
- Bacterial cell widening alters periplasmic size and activates envelope stress responses.The EMBO journal · 2025Article
- Gene expression cycles drive non-exponential bacterial growth.Physical review research · 2025Article
- Cell Geometry Limits Bacterial Metabolic Efficiency.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- Plasma membrane folding enables constant surface area-to-volume ratio in growing mammalian cells.Current biology : CB · 2025Article
- Plasma membrane folding enables constant surface area-to-volume ratio in growing mammalian cells.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- The design of unit cells by combining the self-reproduction systems and metabolic cushioning loads.Communications biology · 2025Article
- Article
- Determining the rate-limiting processes for cell division in Escherichia coli.Nature communications · 2024Article
- Differential growth regulates asymmetric size partitioning inLife science alliance · 2024Article
- Mechanisms of cell size regulation in slow-growing Escherichia coli cells: discriminating models beyond the adder.NPJ systems biology and applications · 2024Article
- Homeostasis of cytoplasmic crowding by cell wall fluidization and ribosomal counterions.Research square · 2024Article
- Capturing of extracellular vesicles derived from single cells ofLab on a chip · 2024Article
- Gene expression tradeoffs determine bacterial survival and adaptation to antibiotic stress.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2024Article
- Disruption of biological membranes by hydrophobic molecules: a way to inhibit bacterial growth.Frontiers in microbiology · 2024Article
58 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Many studies have focused on the mechanisms underlying length and width determination in rod-shaped bacteria. Here, we focus instead on cell surface area to volume ratio (SA/V) and demonstrate that SA/V homeostasis underlies size determination. We propose a model whereby the instantaneous rates of surface and volume synthesis both scale with volume. This model predicts that these relative rates dictate SA/V and that cells approach a new steady-state SA/V exponentially, with a decay constant equal to the volume growth rate. To test this, we exposed diverse bacterial species to sublethal concentrations of a cell wall biosynthesis inhibitor and observed dose-dependent decreases in SA/V. Furthermore, this decrease was exponential and had the expected decay constant. The model also quantitatively describes SA/V alterations induced by other chemical, nutritional, and genetic perturbations. We additionally present evidence for a surface material accumulation threshold underlying division, sensitizing cell length to changes in SA/V requirements.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.