Probing the electrochemical dynamics of germination in Bacillus Subtilis spores

项目概述：这个mrc资助的博士培训伙伴关系（DTP）将尖端的分子和分析科学与创新的数据分析计算方法结合在一起，使学生能够解决以假设为主导的生物医学研究问题。这是一个为期4年的课程，第一年包括一系列教学模块和两个基于实验室的研究项目，最终获得跨学科生物医学研究硕士学位。前两个学期包括一系列教学模块，让学生在多学科科学方面打下坚实的基础。学生还将参加一系列由分子、细胞和组织动力学、微生物学和感染、应用生物医学技术、人工智能和数据科学等领域的学术和行业专家主持的大师班。在第三学期和夏季学期，学生在他们选择的实验室进行两个为期11周的研究项目。项目：几种细菌在恶劣条件下产生孢子，但当环境再次适合居住时，它们可以重新发芽活动。这些孢子具有广泛的用途，从益生菌到引起炭疽的生物恐怖剂，并且在食品工业中存在灭活问题，因此是生物医学研究的重要课题。休眠孢子有一个坚韧的多层外壳，可以抵抗高温、辐射、极端pH值和毒素，使它们能够在植物状态下存活数年。环境中的营养物质触发发芽，使孢子恢复为活跃的细菌。虽然已知有基因参与发芽，但尚不清楚它们如何感知这种刺激并激活级联机制。我们假设萌发是由电化学特征介导的，包括离子（如钙、钠等）、膜电压和ph。Asally实验室最近的一篇论文表明，孢子的形成是由带电粒子控制的。我们建议使用相同的技术来研究枯草芽孢杆菌萌发的电生理，并改进扫描电化学探针显微镜（SEPM）的定量。这是一个多功能成像平台，使用尖端直径为10-100纳米的玻璃探针扫描样品，并以高精度测量离子流动和氧化还原特性。这个项目将要求学生使用微生物技术与孢子一起工作，并研究与发芽有关的基因缺陷的突变体。学生将接受培训，使用各种sepm和用于控制显微镜的软件，这需要修改硬件和软件来优化设置。此外，学生将使用统计软件包来分析数据和模拟软件包来解释SEPM数据。因此，此计划将涵盖MRC所订定的定量及跨学科技能训练主题。

Programme overview:This MRC-funded doctoral training partnership (DTP) brings together cutting-edge molecular and analytical sciences with innovative computational approaches in data analysis to enable students to address hypothesis-led biomedical research questions. This is a 4-year programme whose first year involves a series of taught modules and two laboratory-based research projects that lead to an MSc in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research. The first two terms consist of a selection of taught modules that allow students to gain a solid grounding in multidisciplinary science. Students also attend a series of masterclasses led by academic and industry experts in areas of molecular, cellular and tissue dynamics, microbiology and infection, applied biomedical technologies and artificial intelligence and data science. During the third and summer terms students conduct two eleven-week research projects in labs of their choice. Project:Several species of bacteria sporulate in harsh conditions but can germinate back to activity when their environment becomes habitable again. These spores have a wide variety of uses ranging from probiotics to bioterror agents causing anthrax, and are problematic to inactivate in the food industry, thus an important topic of biomedical research. The dormant spores have a tough multi-layered shell resistant to heat, radiation, extreme pH, and toxins allowing them to survive in a vegetative state for years. Nutrients in the environment trigger germination, which recovers the spores to active bacteria. Though there are genes known to be involved in germination, it is unknown how they can sense such stimuli and activate the cascade of mechanisms. We hypothesise that germination is mediated by electrochemical features, including ions (e.g. calcium, sodium, etc.), membrane voltage and pH. A recent paper from the Asally lab demonstrated that spore formation was quality controlled by charged particles. We propose to use the same techniques to investigate the electrophysiology of germination in the bacteria Bacillus subtilis, and improve the quantification by scanning electrochemical probe microscopy (SEPM). This is a multifunctional imaging platform that uses glass probes with a tip diameter of 10-100 nm which scans samples and measure the flow of ions and redox properties with high precision. This project will require the student to use microbiological techniques to work with the spores as well as investigate mutants with defects in genes involved in germination. The student will be trained to use various the SEPMs and the software used to control the microscopes which requires modifying hardware and software for optimising the setup. Additionally, the student will be using statistical packages to analyse data and simulation packages for interpreting SEPM data. Hence, this project will cover the quantitative and interdisciplinary skills training themes set out by the MRC.