Rerunning the evolution of an ancient bacterial propeller

该项目旨在测量驱动细菌游泳的螺旋桨是如何起源和进化的。该项目预计将利用合成生物学和生物物理学的跨学科技术产生分子进化方面的新知识，以复活古老的蛋白质，并测试它们如何在当代宿主中进化。预期成果包括开发新型鞭毛马达，用于synbio和微流体技术，以及复活古老蛋白质并进化其功能的新方法。这应该通过为定制应用提供从头分子马达来提供显着的好处，并激发公众对这种标志性分子复合物如何起源和进化的兴趣。

This project aims to measure how the propeller which drives bacterial swimming originated and then evolved. This project expects to generate new knowledge in molecular evolution using interdisciplinary techniques in synthetic biology and biophysics to resurrect ancient proteins and test how they can be directed to evolve in a contemporary host. Expected outcomes include the development of new types of flagellar motor for applied uses in synbio and microfluidics, and new methods to resurrect ancient proteins and evolve their function for purpose. This should provide significant benefits by delivering a de novo molecular motor for custom applications and galvanise public interest in how this iconic molecular complex originated and evolved.