BIODIVERSE APPROACHES FOR CONTROLLING METAL TOXICITY

本子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的众多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能已经从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是中心的，不一定是研究者的机构。我们每天都越来越意识到与金属毒性有关的一系列人类健康问题，这些问题要么来自环境暴露，要么来自错误的金属代谢。这些担忧促使科学家们寻找能够在有毒金属存在下茁壮成长的生物体的例子，并探索维持金属稳态的广泛分子机制。可以利用耐金属生物进行生物修复，但必须首先了解其生命力的分子基础。本建议侧重于控制生物圈中金属毒性的许多不同方法中的几种。我们的第一个子项目侧重于棘头类寄生虫对铅和镉的隔离。通过确定这些寄生虫吸收和隔离重金属的分子机制，存在开发强大的新生物标志物，新的生物修复策略和替代解毒疗法的潜力。第二个子项目探讨了铜伴侣在荚膜甲基球菌（Bath）和嗜热的富氏古球菌（Archaeglobus fulgidus）中的作用和结构。第三个项目的重点是金黄色葡萄球菌质粒pI258的基因产物，赋予该生物镉耐受性。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Every day we are becoming more aware of the host of human health problems associated with metal toxicity, either from environmental exposure or from errant metal metabolism. These concerns have prompted scientists to look for examples of organisms that are able to thrive in the presence of toxic levels of metals and to explore the broad range of molecular mechanisms that maintain metal homeostasis. Metal-tolerant organisms might be exploited for bioremediation, but not without first understanding the molecular basis for their vitality. This proposal focuses on a few of the many diverse approaches towards controlling metal toxicity in the biosphere. Our first subproject is focused on the sequestering of lead and cadmium by Acanthocephalans parasitic worms. By identifying the molecular mechanisms by which these parasites take up and sequester heavy metals, the potential exists for the development of powerful new biomarkers, of new bioremediation strategies, and of alternative detoxification therapies. A second subproject explores the role and structure of copper chaperones in Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) and in the thermophile Archaeglobus fulgidus. A third project focuses on the gene products of the Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pI258 that confer cadmium tolerance to this organism.