RUI: Acid and Base Stress in Escherichia coli

RUI：大肠杆菌中的酸和碱应激

• 批准号: 1329815
• 负责人: Joan Slonczewski
• 金额: $ 49.65万
• 依托单位: Kenyon College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2017-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1329815&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Acid; Base; Stress; Escherichia

INTELLECTUAL MERIT: Acid and base, as measured by pH, are important to promote and/or control bacterial growth and survival in all environments, from soil and water to the human skin and intestine. Microbes form acids during food production, and acids are important food preservatives. Acid and base influence microbial production of biofuels and pharmaceuticals. Acid and base production change the external environment of growing bacteria but mechanisms of transport and metabolism help bacterial cells maintain near-constant pH inside, under acid or base stress from outside. Most of what is currently understood on bacterial adaptation to changes in the external environment applies to aerated cultures grown in liquid medium under laboratory conditions. This research will identify how the bacterium Escherichia coli responds to acid stress and base stress under conditions found in natural environments, such as low oxygen and biofilms. Undergraduate researchers will employ fluorescence microscopy and laboratory evolution to address: (1) How do bacterial cells regulate pH as they divide and undergo polar aging? (2) How does pH stress cause oxidation stress (3) How do bacteria evolve under acid stress to grow at lower pH than the ancestral strain The answers to these questions will help the fermentation industry devise improved food preservatives and processes for biotechnology.BROADER IMPACTS: The project will contribute to the nation's human resources by continuing a productive research program run by undergraduates. Each year, 10 first-year student researchers will be recruited from the Kenyon College STEM programs and science classes, as well as 2 high school students. Students will learn fundamental techniques of microbiological research while working with more advanced peers in BIOL 385 Research in Biology and BIOL 497 Senior Honors. They will write their own mini-proposals, design and conduct the experiments, and draft the manuscript for publication. Many undergraduates attracted to work on this project decide to pursue careers in science. Students will also serve as judges for the high-school science fair, and provide materials and demonstrations for members of an economically underserved community.

智力价值：通过 pH 值测量的酸和碱对于促进和/或控制从土壤和水到人类皮肤和肠道的所有环境中的细菌生长和生存非常重要。微生物在食品生产过程中形成酸，酸是重要的食品防腐剂。酸和碱影响生物燃料和药品的微生物生产。酸和碱的产生改变了细菌生长的外部环境，但运输和代谢机制帮助细菌细胞在外部酸或碱胁迫下保持内部接近恒定的 pH 值。目前对细菌适应外部环境变化的大部分了解适用于实验室条件下在液体培养基中生长的通气培养物。 这项研究将确定大肠杆菌在自然环境条件下（例如低氧和生物膜）如何响应酸应激和碱应激。本科生研究人员将利用荧光显微镜和实验室进化来解决：（1）细菌细胞在分裂和经历极老化时如何调节pH？ (2) pH 胁迫如何导致氧化胁迫 (3) 细菌如何在酸胁迫下进化，以在比祖先菌株更低的 pH 值下生长 这些问题的答案将有助于发酵工业设计改进的食品防腐剂和生物技术工艺。 更广泛的影响：该项目将通过继续由本科生开展的富有成效的研究项目，为国家人力资源做出贡献。每年，凯尼恩学院 STEM 课程和科学课程都会招募 10 名一年级学生研究人员，以及 2 名高中生。学生将学习微生物研究的基本技术，同时与 BIOL 385 生物学研究和 BIOL 497 高级荣誉课程中更先进的同行合作。他们将撰写自己的小型提案，设计和进行实验，并起草出版手稿。许多被这个项目吸引的本科生决定从事科学事业。学生还将担任高中科学博览会的评委，并为经济欠发达社区的成员提供材料和演示。