Structural characterisation of a natural inhibitor of sporulation bound to its histidine kinase target

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Many bacteria, including some which are virulent pathogens such as anthrax (Bacillus anthracis), are able to enter a dormant state by forming spores (sporulation). These spores are extremely robust and may persist in the environment buried in the soil for example for hundreds of years. The initiation of sporulation occurs in response to changes in the cellular and environmental conditions which threaten the free replicating existence of the bacterium. The process of sporulation is controlled at the molecular level by a complex signaling relay. It is of course vital for the existence of the organism that control of sporulation is tightly regulated - preventing the onset of spore-formation in any but the desired circumstances. We aim to determine the three-dimensional structures of the molecules involved in this regulated process and how, by interacting with each other, they can pass on the signal to the bacterium to either start or stop the spore forming process. Ultimately, the results of this work might lead to antibacterial agents which could be used to control particularly dangerous strains of bacteria.