RUI: Investigating the synthesis and unique activities of bactofilins with multiple isoforms

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The cytoskeleton of a cell plays an important role in the organization of the cell, its motility, and the movement of macromolecules within the cell. In this project, the researcher will investigate the regulation of expression and polymerization of the bacterial cytoskeletal protein, bactofilin. This project will engage undergraduate students with training and experience in molecular microbiology, studying the cell biology of bacteria, while increasing the overall research capacity of Iona College. Undergraduates will be trained in techniques that will allow them to engineer specific mutations into the genomes of non-pathogenic bacteria and evaluate the influence on the overall activity of the cells, and provide them with experiences that will enhance their readiness to engage in STEM careers. The goal of this project is to further our understanding of the contributions of the uniquely bacterial cytoskeleton family, bactofilins, to the cell biology of Myxococcus xanthus. Two isoforms of the bactofilin, BacM, are expressed by M. xanthus. The cellular mechanisms that produce the two isoforms, the potential unique contributions of each isoform to M. xanthus cell biology, and how widespread is the phenomenon of multiple isoforms of bactofilins are all currently unknown. In addition, the polarity of the filament as it is formed in vivo has not been established. To address these research challenges, the PI will work with undergraduates using PCR-directed mutagenesis, mutant protein expression in M. xanthus, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence microscopy, and protein-protein interaction studies, to generate multiple isoforms of the bactofilin BacM and study how each isoform contributes to M. xanthus cell biology.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.