Molecular basis and mechanisms of the interspecies interactions between pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus spp

我们对微生物基因表达、调控和生理学的了解大多来自于在实验室条件下对分离物种的研究。然而，微生物很少孤立存在，而是存在于微生物群落中;它们的基因表达、行为甚至生存都受到种间相互作用的影响。微生物群落中成员之间的相互作用往往导致微生物产生许多新的生理功能。因此，解剖微生物的相互作用和潜在的分子机制是至关重要的，我们的微生物生命过程的基本理解。拟议的研究是基于观察到铜绿假单胞菌和链球菌属或葡萄球菌属之间的相互作用影响了铜绿假单胞菌中许多重要基因的表达。本研究的主要目的是：1）详细研究铜绿假单胞菌和链球菌相互作用的分子基础和遗传途径; 2）研究群体感应、抗生素亚抑制浓度和种间相互作用介导的调节途径之间的联系; 3）探讨III型分泌系统（T3 SS）在微生物群落中的生态学作用。本研究以铜绿假单胞菌和链球菌为模型系统，旨在阐明微生物间相互作用的分子基础和机制，加深我们对微生物种间相互作用的理解。

Our knowledge of microbial gene expression, regulation, and physiology are mostly obtained from the study of isolated species in defined laboratory conditions. However, microbes rarely exist in isolation but instead in microbial communities; their gene expression, behaviours and even survival are affected by interspecies interactions. The interactions between the members in a microbial community often result in many new physiological functions for the microbes. Therefore, dissecting microbial interactions and the underlying molecular mechanisms is critical to our fundamental understanding of the microbial life process. The proposed research is based on the observation that interaction between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus spp or Staphylococcus spp affected the expression of a number of important genes in P. aeruginosa. The objectives of the proposed research are: 1) to investigate in detail the molecular basis and genetic pathways of the interactions between P. aeruginosa and Streptococcus; 2) to examine the connections of the regulatory pathways mediated by quorum sensing, subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics and interspecies interaction; and 3) to probe the ecological roles of the type III secretion system (T3SS) in microbial communities. This research program focuses on elucidating the molecular basis and mechanisms of microbe-microbe interactions using the interaction between P. aeruginosa and Streptococcus as a model system, and will enhance our understanding of the microbial interspecies interactions.