RUI: Examination of the Genetic Mechanisms Used to Control the Expression of Salinity-regulated Proteins in the Archaeon Haloferax volcanii

该项目旨在采用各种蛋白质组学，遗传学和生物信息学技术，用于进一步表征这些基因及其相应功能的研究，这些基因及其相应功能是适应盐古菌Haloferax volcanii模型中可变盐度所必需的。蛋白质组学分析发现了Hfx中一组盐浓度调节蛋白。volcanii，现在等待详细描述其调控机制。 在所确定的蛋白质中，有一种细菌样转录激活因子，它在转录水平上受NaCl浓度的调节。编码这种蛋白质的基因是细菌pspA基因的同源物，该基因响应于环境胁迫而被调节。 鉴于其不可或缺的作用，在传感各种膜应激，它是假设，pspA可能发挥重要作用，在低和/或高盐适应Hfx。火山 计划中的研究将解决以下问题：1）编码盐度调节蛋白的基因是否具有共同的调节机制？2)是高频信号。volcanii PspA作为转录激活因子发挥作用，其方式类似于在细菌中看到的？3)是高频信号。volcanii诱导类似类型的基因/蛋白质在低盐胁迫下的反应，那些在高盐诱导条件下看到的？在这项研究中获得的信息将揭示关键的洞察力如何Hfx。volcanii能够在其自然环境中的各种盐度下持续生长并保持活力。 此外，通过提供压力调节PspA活性的第一个实验证据，其功能的关系，在细菌和真核生物领域的生活中存在的同系物可以阐明。 这项研究的更广泛的影响将主要涉及一些本科研究生的参与和培训，因为这项研究发生在莱德大学，一个小型的文科学校，没有科学研究生课程。

This project aims to employ a broad variety of proteomic, genetic, and bioinformatic techniques for use in studies that will further characterize those genes, and their corresponding functions, necessary for adaptation to variable salinities in the model haloarchaeon, Haloferax volcanii. Proteomic analyses have led to the discovery of a set of salinity-regulated proteins in Hfx. volcanii that now await detailed characterization of the mechanisms involved in their regulation. Among the proteins identified were a bacterial-like transcriptional activator that is regulated by NaCl concentrations at the level of transcription. The gene encoding this protein is a homolog of the bacterial pspA gene that is regulated in response to environmental stress. Given its integral role in sensing a variety of membrane stressors, it is hypothesized that pspA may play an important role in hypo- and/or hypersaline adaptation in Hfx. volcanii. Planned research will address the following questions: 1) do genes encoding salinity-regulated proteins share a common mechanisms of regulation?; 2) does Hfx. volcanii PspA function as a transcriptional activator and in a manner akin to that seen in bacteria?; 3) does Hfx. volcanii induce similar types of genes/proteins in response to low-salt stress as those seen under high-salt inducing conditions? The information obtained in this research will shed critical insight into how Hfx. volcanii is able to sustain growth and remain viable over a wide range of salinities in its natural environment. Furthermore, by providing the first experimental evidence for stress-regulated PspA activity in Archaea, its functional relationship to homologs present in bacterial and eukaryotic domains of life can be elucidated. The broader impacts of this study will chiefly involve the participation and training of a number of undergraduate research students, as this research takes place at Rider University, a small, liberal arts school with no graduate programs in the sciences.