Evolution of persistence in the model bacterium, Sinorhizobium

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。一些细菌可以进入一种不生长的“持久性”状态，使它们能够在抗生素和其他通常会杀死它们的治疗中存活下来。通过暂停生长，它们也可以为基因相同的克隆体腾出资源。大多数物种只形成少数恒久者。这使得持之以恒的人很难研究，尽管他们在长期感染中很重要。然而，来自植物根部的某些无害细菌可以形成高达40%的持久性细菌。这些将被用来确定持久者是否主要受益于增强的抗逆性，还是通过增加其无性系的生长。这项研究的成功完成将提供两个主要好处：首先，这项研究将确定有利于形成持久性菌株的细菌菌株比非持久性菌株传播的条件，以及持久性的遗传基础。这可以提供直接的医疗效益，通过帮助开发新的管理策略，药物靶点，并最终治疗持续性形成细菌感染的患者。其次，一些结论可能适用于其他难以根除的物种，因为它们也会形成休眠的、抗压力的阶段。其中包括许多农业杂草和某些种类的蚊子。这种方法的一个关键优势是速度：用杂草或蚊子进行的实验需要几十年的时间，用细菌进行的实验只需要几个月的时间。本研究将为本科生、高中生和博士后研究员提供培训和就业机会。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Some bacteria can enter a nongrowing "persister" state that allows them to survive antibiotics and other treatments that normally kill them. By suspending growth, they may also free resources for their genetically identical clonemates.Most species form only a few persisters. This makes persisters hard to study, despite their importance in long-term infections. However, certain harmless bacteria from plant roots can form up to 40% persisters. These will be used to determine whether persisters benefit mainly from enhanced stress resistance or by increasing the growth of their clonemates.Successful completion of this research will provide two main benefits: First, this research will determine the conditions that favor the spread of persister-forming bacterial strains over nonpersister strains, and the genetic basis of persistence. This can provide direct medical benefits by aiding the development of novel management strategies, drug targets, and eventually treatments for patients infected with persister-forming bacteria. Second, some conclusions may apply to other species that are difficult to eradicate because they, too, form dormant, stress-resistant stages. These include many agricultural weeds and some species of mosquito. One key advantage of the proposed approach is speed: experiments that would take decades with weeds or mosquitoes can be conducted in months with bacteria. This research will provide training opportunities and jobs for undergraduates, high school students, and a post doctoral researcher.