Exploration of new players in FtsZ-based cell DiVision in Archaea (DiVA)

探索基于 FtsZ 的古细菌细胞 DiVision (DiVA) 的新参与者

• 批准号: 505545313
• 负责人: Professorin Dr. Sonja Verena Albers
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Forschungsschwerpunkt Mikrobiologie
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 资助国家: 德国
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/505545313?language=en
• 关键词: Exploration; new; players; FtsZ; based

In the last decades, our knowledge about the diversity, evolution, and processes like for example metabolism and motility, in Archaea has increased significantly. Yet, with respect to Bacteria, many other fundamental cellular processes remain largely understudied. The process how Archaea divide has been studied in more detail in recent years. Most Archaea divide by binary fission using homologs of the bacterial tubulin homolog FtsZ. Intriguingly, archaea can have either one or two FtsZ proteins, suggesting a diversity in cytokinesis within Archaea. Recent studies have identified further key elements in archaeal cell division, such as the SepF protein that anchors the Z-ring. Moreover, most components of the bacterial divisome are absent in archaea. In this project, Methanobrevibacter smithii and Haloferax volcanii, will be used as archaeal models for cytokinesis driven by one or two FtsZs respectively, to study new players in archaeal cell division. We will study the role of PRC-barrel proteins, an uncharacterized family widely distributed in archaea and likely involved in cell division in H. volcanii. In parallel, we will characterize additional components of the M. smithii divisome by identifying the partners of FtsZ and SepF and analysing the role of their specific MreB homolog. We will apply an interdisciplinary approach involving the characterization of mutants, high-resolution fluorescent microscopy, structural biology, and bioinformatics. Together, the results obtained in this project will fundamentally advance our knowledge of the archaeal cell division processes, contributing to our understanding on their origin and evolution.

在过去的几十年里，我们对生物多样性、进化和代谢、运动等过程的了解显著增加。然而，关于细菌，许多其他基本的细胞过程仍然在很大程度上研究不足。近几年来，对植物如何分裂的过程进行了更详细的研究。大多数细菌通过使用细菌微管蛋白同源物FtsZ的同源物进行二分裂。有趣的是，古细菌可以有一个或两个FtsZ蛋白，这表明古细菌胞质分裂的多样性。最近的研究已经确定了古细菌细胞分裂的进一步关键因素，例如锚定Z环的SepF蛋白。此外，细菌分裂体的大多数组分在古细菌中不存在。在这个项目中，Methanobrevibacter smithii和Haloferax volcanii将分别被用作由一个或两个FtsZ驱动的胞质分裂的古细菌模型，以研究古细菌细胞分裂中的新参与者。我们将研究PRC-桶蛋白的作用，PRC-桶蛋白是一个广泛分布于古生菌中的未知家族，可能与H.火山同时，我们将描述M的其他组件。通过鉴定FtsZ和SepF的伴侣并分析其特异性MreB同源物的作用来鉴定Smithii divisome。我们将采用跨学科的方法，涉及突变体的表征，高分辨率荧光显微镜，结构生物学和生物信息学。总之，在这个项目中获得的结果将从根本上推进我们对古细菌细胞分裂过程的认识，有助于我们对它们的起源和进化的理解。