The stringent response and bacterial longevitytion
Abstract
It is well known that bacteria can survive in a growth-arrested state for long periods of time, on the order of months or even years. How is such longevity possible? What is the molecular basis of such longevity? The physiology of fast-growing bacteria is well characterized, but relatively little is understood about how bacteria stay alive when they are not growing. The objective here is to probe this crucial phase of the bacterial life cycle. This is not just an academic exercise; non-growing bacteria can be useful. For example, they are excellent biocatalysts because they can convert substrates that might be used for growth to value-added products. The proposed work will be carried out with a bacterium named Rhodopseudomonas palustris, that is an excellent biocatalyst for biofuel production when in growth arrest. It can sustain viability and biofuel production for months when it is not growing. To stay alive under these conditions, R. palustris needs to mount a stringent response. This involves production of a compound named ppGpp. The objectives for this proposal are to: 1) characterize the stringent response as it occurs in growth-arrested R. palustris cells over a long period of time - weeks rather than hours Ð the time span over which the stringent response has been studied in other bacteria. And 2) to determine the role of ppGpp in transcription, ribosome biogenesis, translation and protein turnover in growth-arrested R. palustris. Each of these processes happens in growth-arrested cells and most are known to be controlled by ppGpp, but which are most important for bacterial longevity? We are looking at processes that are found in all bacteria and thus have confidence that our findings on the molecular basis of longevity will extend to other bacteria.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 04, 2021
- Source ID
- W911NF2110015
Entities
People
- Caroline S. Harwood
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- United States Army
- University of Washington