article published Thuc Le author Sébastien Harlepp author Calin C Guet author 47F8433E-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0001-6220-2052 Kimberly Dittmar author Thierry Emonet author Tao Pan author Philippe Cluzel author Characterizing the dynamics of specific RNA levels requires real-time RNA profiling in a single cell. We show that the combination of a synthetic modular genetic system with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy allows us to directly measure in real time the activity of any specific promoter in prokaryotes. Using a simple inducible gene expression system, we found that induced RNA levels within a single bacterium of Escherichia coli exhibited a pulsating profile in response to a steady input of inducer. The genetic deletion of an efflux pump system, a key determinant of antibiotic resistance, altered the pulsating transcriptional dynamics and caused overexpression of induced RNA. In contrast with population measurements, real-time RNA profiling permits identifying relationships between genotypes and transcriptional dynamics that are accessible only at the level of the single cell. National Academy of Sciences2005 10.1073/pnas.0503311102 102269160 - 9164 yes T. Le, S. Harlepp, C.C. Guet, K. Dittmar, T. Emonet, T. Pan, P. Cluzel, PNAS 102 (2005) 9160–9164. Le T, Harlepp S, Guet CC, et al. Real-time RNA profiling within a single bacterium. <i>PNAS</i>. 2005;102(26):9160-9164. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0503311102">10.1073/pnas.0503311102</a> Le, Thuc, Sébastien Harlepp, Calin C Guet, Kimberly Dittmar, Thierry Emonet, Tao Pan, and Philippe Cluzel. “Real-Time RNA Profiling within a Single Bacterium.” <i>PNAS</i>. National Academy of Sciences, 2005. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0503311102">https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0503311102</a>. Le, Thuc, et al. “Real-Time RNA Profiling within a Single Bacterium.” <i>PNAS</i>, vol. 102, no. 26, National Academy of Sciences, 2005, pp. 9160–64, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0503311102">10.1073/pnas.0503311102</a>. Le, T., Harlepp, S., Guet, C. C., Dittmar, K., Emonet, T., Pan, T., &#38; Cluzel, P. (2005). Real-time RNA profiling within a single bacterium. <i>PNAS</i>. National Academy of Sciences. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0503311102">https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0503311102</a> T. Le <i>et al.</i>, “Real-time RNA profiling within a single bacterium,” <i>PNAS</i>, vol. 102, no. 26. National Academy of Sciences, pp. 9160–9164, 2005. Le T, Harlepp S, Guet CC, Dittmar K, Emonet T, Pan T, Cluzel P. 2005. Real-time RNA profiling within a single bacterium. PNAS. 102(26), 9160–9164. 37532018-12-11T12:04:59Z2021-01-12T07:51:57Z