The Escherichia coli YfiD protein: an oxygen and acidity responsive regulator of carbon flux

细菌是地球上最具生物化学多样性的生物体。它们通过改变基因表达模式来适应环境和代谢线索。大肠杆菌是最具特征的生命形式之一。它是一种模式生物，我们对生命基本过程的许多理解都是通过对这种细菌的深入研究而揭示的。然而，还有很多东西要学。例如，我们不知道所有E的大约三分之一的函数。coli基因。该项目旨在通过使用分子生物学和生物化学来研究蛋白质（YfiD）的功能，更好地了解细菌的中心代谢过程，该蛋白质在适应许多不同的环境条件方面非常重要。具体来说，我们想确定YfiD对细菌中枢代谢的影响的功能和程度，这如何有助于细菌适应不同环境的能力，以及YfiD发挥影响的分子机制。更深入地了解细菌如何在一系列环境条件下适应和生存，其中一些与发病机制直接相关，将有助于支持寻找新的治疗方法。此外，该项目的研究结果将感兴趣的生物技术人员使用E。大肠杆菌作为生产重组蛋白和化学品的工厂，通过提高这些过程的效率。

Bacteria are the most biochemically versatile organisms on the planet. They adapt by altering patterns of gene expression in response to environmental and metabolic cues. The bacterium Escherichia coli is one of the best-characterised life forms. It is a model organism and much of our understanding of the fundamental processes of life has been revealed by intensive study of this bacterium. Yet there is still much to learn. For example, we do not know the function of approximately one third of all E. coli genes. This project aims to better understand the central metabolic processes of bacteria by using molecular biology and biochemistry to investigate the function of a protein (YfiD) that is important in adaptation to a number of different environmental conditions. Specifically, we would like to determine the function and extent of the influence of YfiD on bacterial central metabolism, how this contributes to the ability of the bacterium to adapt to different environments, and the molecular mechanism by which YfiD exerts its influence. A deeper understanding of how bacteria adapt and survive in a range of environmental conditions, some of which relate directly to pathogenesis, will help to underpin the search for new therapeutics. In addition, the project findings will be of interest to biotechnologists using E. coli as a factory for the production of recombinant proteins and chemicals by improving the efficiency of such processes.