Post-transcriptional control of cell division in Mycobacteria

分枝杆菌不同于Gram ve和Gram-ve模式生物，我们对它们的RNA生物学知之甚少。我们发现，在分枝杆菌中，细胞分裂蛋白FtsZ的表达在多个水平上受到控制，我们将探索转录因子、高结构、自我抑制的5‘UTR和顺式编码的反义RNA的调节作用。我们将使用成熟和新颖的分子生物学和计算方法来确定每个调控因子在快速生长和缓慢生长的分枝杆菌中的作用。这个项目的成功完成将使我们了解与重要微生物的细胞分裂相关的基本分子机制。

Mycobacteria differ from Gram+ve and Gram-ve model organisms, and we know little abouttheir RNA biology. We have found that expression of the cell division protein FtsZ iscontrolled on multiple levels in mycobacteria and we will explore the regulatory roles of atranscription factor, a highly structured, autoinhibotory 5'UTR and a cis-encoded antisenseRNA. We will employ well-established and novel molecular biology and computationalmethods to define the roles of each regulator in fast-growing and slow-growing mycobacteria.The successful completion of this project will inform us about basic molecular mechanismsassociated with cell division in important microorganisms.