Fundamental insights in early‐stage inclusion body formation

Early‐stage inclusion body formation is still mysterious. Literature is ambiguous about the existence of rod‐shaped protein aggregates, a potential sponge‐like inclusion body scaffold as well as the number of inclusion bodies per Escherichia coli cell. In this study, we verified the existence of rod‐shaped inclusion bodies, confirmed their porous morphology, the presence of multiple protein aggregates per cell and modelled inclusion body formation as function of the number of generations. Literature is ambiguous about the existence of rod‐shaped protein aggregates, a potential sponge‐like inclusion body scaffold as well as the number of inclusion bodies per E. coli cell. In this study, we verified the existence of rod‐shaped inclusion bodies, confirmed their porous morphology, the presence of multiple protein aggregates per cell and modeled inclusion body formation as function of the number of generations.