Global regulatory systems in pseudomonas aeruginosa

直到最近，人们还认为细菌是简单的单细胞生物，它们的环境优势是生长非常迅速。 然而，越来越清楚的是，细菌对环境非常敏感，可以在称为生物膜的社区中发挥作用。 许多研究都致力于了解细菌如何作为群落发挥作用，以及它们如何对环境信号做出反应。我们的研究重点是分析一种名为铜绿假单胞菌的细菌如何适应有时恶劣的环境。 我们的方法将是研究控制细菌基因表达的电路以及这些电路如何相互作用。 我们将具体研究三个系统。一个系统允许细菌群体相互交流并控制基因的表达，以便群体一起工作。 另一个系统涉及控制参与细菌群落或生物膜形成的基因。 第三个系统控制细菌对感染期间发生的营养缺乏的反应。 从长远来看，这种性质的研究将导致开发新的治疗细菌感染的疗法。

Until recently it was thought that bacteria were simple, single celled organisms and that their environmental advantage was very rapid growth. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that bacteria are exquisitely sensitive to the environment and can function in communities called biofilms. Much research is being directed towards an understanding of how bacteria function as communities and how they can respond to the environmental signals. Our research is focussed on an analysis of how a bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa can adapt to sometimes-hostile environments. Our approach will be to look at the circuits that control the expression of bacterial genes and the how these circuits interact. We will specifically examine three systems. One system allows the bacterial populations to communicate with each other and control the expression of genes so that population works together. Another system is involved with controlling genes involved in the formation of bacterial communities or biofilms. The third system controls the bacterium's response to nutrient deprivation that occurs during infection. In the long term, research of this nature will lead to the development of new therapies to treat bacterial infections.