An Experimental and Quantitative Analysis of E. coli Stress Response: Metabolic and Antibiotic Stressors

Abstract

A series of experiments and mathematical models explore the response of the bacteria E. coli to stressors. Experimentally, the effect of L-homocysteine, a non-protein amino acid, is explored, and via math models, the effect of trimethoprim, a common antibiotic, is also explored. Previous work on L-homocysteine labels it a stressor, and this assertion is refined via the presented work. A mathematical model that improves on a previous work published by Kwon et al. (2008) explores the response of E. coli to various supplementations of amino acids when exposed to trimethoprim. New methods of developing antibiotics and therapeutic drug treatments are also explored.