In-situ AFM of pathogenic proteins involved in meningitis and septicaemia

脑膜炎和败血症相关致病蛋白的原位 AFM

• 批准号: G0802580/1
• 负责人: Jamie Hobbs
• 金额: $ 12.73万
• 依托单位: University of Sheffield
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2009 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=G0802580%2F1
• 关键词: situ; AFM; pathogenic; proteins; involved

Many bacteria responsible for disease secrete substances (proteins) that attack and degrade human tissue. We have recently identified new proteins that subvert human blood cells allowing bacteria to use their contents as nutrients and survive in the blood. It should be possible to follow a protein secreted by the bacteria responsible for meningitis and septicaemia as it enters the cell membrane of a red blood cell, image the resultant changes in cell shape, and gain a new understanding of role played by the protein in the cell?s demise. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an imaging technique that allows us to view individual proteins within membranes at extremely high magnification. We can view surfaces under physiological conditions, and potentially follow processes at a molecular scale in real-time providing much more detail than is available currently with conventional light or electron microscopy. Recent developments by the applicant allow considerably faster imaging, providing an opportunity to visualize, in real time, important early events in the establishment of disease.This grant aims to transfer expertise from physical science into medicine, providing access and expertise in equipment not previously applied to a medical problem. A physical scientist researcher will be physically re-located into the School of Medicine, providing her with considerable new training and giving her a unique skill set for applying AFM technology to these important systems. It will also give the physical scientist applicant sufficient time to become well acquainted with the medically relevant biology, providing a sound basis for the development of new AFM related technologies of wider application to medicine.

许多致病细菌分泌的物质（蛋白质）会攻击和降解人体组织。我们最近发现了一种新的蛋白质，它可以破坏人类的血细胞，使细菌能够利用它们的内容物作为营养物质并在血液中生存。应该有可能跟踪脑膜炎和败血症的细菌分泌的蛋白质，因为它进入红细胞的细胞膜，成像细胞形状的变化，并获得对蛋白质在细胞中所起作用的新理解。的灭亡。原子力显微镜（AFM）是一种成像技术，使我们能够以极高的放大倍数观察膜内的单个蛋白质。我们可以在生理条件下观察表面，并可能实时跟踪分子尺度的过程，提供比传统光学或电子显微镜更多的细节。申请人的最新发展使成像速度大大加快，提供了一个机会，可视化，在真实的时间，在建立疾病的重要早期事件。该赠款旨在转移专业知识从物理科学到医学，提供访问和以前没有应用到医疗问题的设备的专业知识。一名物理科学家研究员将被重新安置到医学院，为她提供相当多的新培训，并为她提供将AFM技术应用于这些重要系统的独特技能。这也将使物理科学家申请人有足够的时间熟悉与医学相关的生物学，为开发更广泛应用于医学的新AFM相关技术提供良好的基础。