BMAC Weekly — 2026-W43
8 papers selected for 2026-W43.
2026-10-13–2026-10-19 · 8 papers
Bridging energy and proteome allocation models allows prediction of the resource cost of traits across environments
M Meghrazi, SP Otto
2026-10-13 · PLOS Biology
TL;DR. The authors build a model combining energy-provisioning and macromolecule-biosynthesis limits to quantify and compare the resource costs of traits that draw on different resources.
Key signal. The model predicts that higher food quality raises the cost of traits requiring new structures but lowers the cost of traits requiring energy expenditure, and it yields new predictions about how degradation, recycling, and maintenance demands relate macromolecular composition to growth rate.
Why it matters here. Directly ties bacterial growth laws and proteome allocation to trait costs across environments, matching Fangzhou's work on growth laws, dynamic metabolism, and proteome allocation.
When and why spatial structure favors metabolic cross-feeding
J Van Impe, J Wang, I Hashem, S Bhonsale
2026-10-12 · bioRxiv
TL;DR. Using a spatially explicit individual-based model, the authors classify cross-feeding by directionality, investment, and metabolic dependency to test when spatial structure favors or disfavors it.
Key signal. Whether spatial structure promotes cross-feeding depends on how growth depends on exchanged metabolites rather than on physical proximity alone, because metabolic dependence shapes spatial organization and metabolite fluxes.
Why it matters here. Addresses microbial community ecology and metabolite exchange, connecting to Fangzhou's interests in microbial population dynamics and community ecology.
How Bacterial Growth-Phase Reshapes Synthetic Gene Circuit Function
EJ Lu, D Del Vecchio
2026-01-01 · bioRxiv
TL;DR. The abstract was unavailable; the title concerns how bacterial growth phase reshapes synthetic gene circuit function.
Why it matters here. Relates to Fangzhou's work on synthetic gene circuits and microbial growth physiology, though no abstract was provided to confirm specific mechanisms.
Mutual Linearity of Complexes in Chemical Reaction Networks
PE Harunari, G Fiusa, M Polettini
2026-10-08 · arXiv preprint arXiv:2610.11970
TL;DR. The authors show that for zero-deficiency chemical reaction networks with a single linkage class, controlling one reaction makes stationary complex activities obey an exact linear relation.
Key signal. Mutual linearity holds in mass-action monomial (complex) activities rather than species concentrations, with coefficients independent of the controlled rates, conserved quantities, and complex stoichiometry, and violations signal nonzero deficiency or multiple linkage classes.
Why it matters here. Provides structural results for chemical reaction network steady states and control, relevant to Fangzhou's interest in biomolecular reaction networks and their control.
Invasive Chinese tallow is associated with distinct rhizosphere microbial communities, core microbiomes, and functional potential relative to native Loblolly pine
Maruf Khan, Bishrant Pant, Ahmad Humayan Kabir
2026-10-16 · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
TL;DR. The authors compare rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities of invasive Chinese tallow and native Loblolly pine using 16S and ITS amplicon sequencing plus soil and functional analyses.
Key signal. Chinese tallow rhizosphere had greater bacterial and fungal richness, distinct composition enriched in beneficial taxa such as Streptomyces, Bradyrhizobium, and Rhizobium and ectomycorrhizal fungi, with functional predictions indicating more carbohydrate degradation, nitrogen fixation, and plant growth promotion.
Why it matters here. Examines host-mediated assembly and functional potential of soil microbial communities, connecting to Fangzhou's microbial community ecology interests.
The influence of cell morphology on the dynamics and stability of model bacterial communities
Ing Xhu Lim, Faisal Halabeya, Joshua N. Milstein
2026-10-13 · PLoS Computational Biology
TL;DR. Agent-based simulations of dual bacterial populations in microchannels show that boundary dynamics are well described by a drift-diffusion model, with morphology and division rate affecting fixation versus coexistence.
Key signal. Coccus-like cells display a competitive advantage over bacillus cells and more effectively invade and fixate, while coexisting bacillus populations are effectively stable, and faster division drives fixation or acts defensively depending on morphology.
Why it matters here. Links cell morphology and mechanical interactions to community dynamics and coexistence, relevant to Fangzhou's interests in microbial population dynamics and cell-size/morphology.
Quorum sensing crosstalk and dynamics in polymicrobial biofilms: implications for pathogenesis and emerging therapeutic strategies
Mohd Adnan, Arif Jamal Siddiqui, Fevzi Bardakçi, Riadh Badraoui, Abdelmuhsin Abdelgadir, Syed Amir Ashraf, Halil Biyik, Mitesh Patel
2026-10-06 · Critical Reviews in Microbiology
TL;DR. This review analyzes quorum-sensing crosstalk in polymicrobial biofilms and its implications for pathogenesis, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging therapeutic strategies.
Key signal. Interspecies quorum-sensing crosstalk can promote synergistic cooperation that increases virulence or antagonistic responses that alter microbial dynamics, and quorum quenching, targeted delivery, and combination therapies are discussed as interventions.
Why it matters here. Covers cell-to-cell signaling, biofilm behavior, and antibiotic resistance in multi-species communities, matching Fangzhou's interests in microbial decision-making, molecular sensing, and antibiotic resistance.
Emergence of open chemical reaction network thermodynamics within closed systems
Benedikt Remlein, Massimiliano Esposito, Francesco Avanzini
2026-10-15 · Physical Review X
TL;DR. The authors show that open chemical reaction network behavior, including stochastic dynamics and thermodynamic structure, emerges asymptotically from closed CRNs under time-scale separation and abundance separation.
Key signal. With fast reactions acting as exchange mechanisms and abundant species behaving as chemostats, local detailed balance, entropy production, and free-energy balance emerge to leading order for arbitrary stoichiometries.
Why it matters here. Gives a physically grounded basis for chemostat-like open reaction-network thermodynamics, which bears on Fangzhou's interests in biochemical reaction networks and biomolecular control.