Role of Chemotaxis, Motility and Adhesins during Initiation of the Earthworm-Verminephrobacter Symbiosis

包括人类在内的大多数动植物都有有益的细菌伙伴，这对增进健康是必要的，但大多数关于细菌与宿主相互作用的信息都是基于病原体研究的。蚯蚓是土壤系统中的重要成员，为有益细菌在动物宿主上的定植提供了实验模型。一种常见的堆肥蠕虫，Eisenia Fetida，在类似肾脏的器官中保持细菌，并将这些共生细菌存放在卵囊中，以定植蚯蚓胚胎。这项研究调查了使细菌共生体能够在早期发育过程中检测、迁移到宿主特定器官并定植的机制。病原体和有益细菌成功的关键因素是靶向和附着到适当的组织，然后是随后的生长。这项研究中获得的关于细菌定植的信息将更好地装备科学家和医疗专业人员与疾病作斗争，并促进有益微生物的发展。这项研究有几个目标：(1)确定相关基因，(2)确定共生细菌用来定位组织的感觉机制，以及(3)确定细菌结合的宿主的细胞表面特征。方法包括分析基因功能的遗传学方法，以及鉴定细胞表面蛋白质和糖的生物化学和细胞染色方法。这项工作将揭示有益于细菌利用的关键机制，以成功地在正确的组织上定居。这项工作产生的基因组数据将通过适当的公共基因数据库获得。研究结果将及时公布，并在实验室网站上更新。活动包括对包括妇女在内的青年科学家进行教育，并通过为3-8年级儿童进行动手示范的形式进行公众宣传，以及为有经验的科学家和公众更新网页。这项研究将影响包括发育生物学、病理生物学和土壤生态学在内的一系列科学学科。

Most plants and animals, including humans, have beneficial bacterial partners that are necessary to enhance health, yet most information about bacterial interactions with hosts is based on pathogen studies. Earthworms, keystone members of the soil system, offer an experimental model for colonization of animal hosts by beneficial bacteria. A common composting worm, Eisenia fetida, maintains bacteria within kidney-like organs and deposits these symbiotic bacteria into egg capsules to colonize earthworm embryos. This study investigates mechanisms that enable bacterial symbionts to detect, migrate into and colonize a particular organ of their host during early development. Crucial elements for the success of both pathogens and beneficial bacteria are the targeting of and attachment to appropriate tissue, followed by subsequent growth. Information about bacterial colonization gained in this study will better equip scientists and medical professionals to combat disease and promote beneficial microbes. The study has several goals: to (1) determine genes involved, (2) identify sensory mechanisms used by symbiotic bacteria to locate tissue, and (3) identify cell surface features of the host to which bacteria bind. Approaches include genetics to analyze gene function, and biochemistry and cell staining methods to identify cell surface proteins and sugars. This work will reveal key mechanisms beneficial bacterial use to successfully colonize the correct tissue. Genomic data generated by this work will be available through appropriate public gene databases. Findings will be published in a timely manner and updated on the lab website. Activities include education of young scientists, including women, and public outreach in the form of hands-on demonstrations for children in grades 3-8, and webpage updates for both experienced scientists and the public. This research will impact a range of scientific disciplines including developmental biology, pathobiology, and soil ecology.