Discoveries lie hidden behind the façade of popular assumptions : Q & A with

The latest published work in Cell Reports includes this intriguing paper from Nikolai Slavov and Alexander van Oudenaarden and their colleagues at Harvard and MIT: “Constant Growth Rate Can Be Supported by Decreasing Energy Flux and Increasing Aerobic Glycolysis.” Slavov et al (2014) show (in yeast batch cultures) that exponential growth at a constant growth rate represents not a single metabolic/physiological state but a continuum of changing states characterized by different oxidativeand heat-stress resistance, protein expression, and metabolic fluxes. We asked Dr. Slavov to tell us more about the work, his ideas, and his experiences.