Effects of iron chelator on dynamics of bacterial biofilm

铁在生物体内有不同的功能。它是所有细胞都需要的不可替代的微量元素。铁清除剂（螯合剂）能够调节免疫系统对炎症或感染等触发因素的反应。然而，需要更好地了解铁及其螯合剂在基本细胞水平上的隔离作用。螯合伙伴公司（CPI）开发了一系列新型铁螯合剂。这些高特异性的铁清除物质的可用性使得首次研究铁在细菌生理学中扮演的不同角色成为可能。**** DIBI在抑制生物膜内细菌生长的另一种重要形式，从而减轻细菌生物膜生长引起的问题方面的可能应用，此前尚未探索过。该公司（CPI）认为将DIBI开发成一种能够抑制环境中细菌生物膜的产品具有巨大的新市场潜力，但他们缺乏进行生物膜分析以了解DIBI的潜在机制的内部能力。CPI需要在达尔豪斯大学微生物学和免疫学系郑博士实验室的微生物学和细胞生物学方面的协助和专业知识。****拟议的NSERC Engage项目旨在彻底研究DIBI如何影响生物膜形成或使生物膜破坏。更具体地说，我们将使用多种完善的铜绿假单胞菌生物膜测定来测量生物膜的生物量和生物膜内细菌细胞的活力。****总之，这项工作将有助于我们了解细菌生物膜中铁螯合的分子基础，并从长远来看有助于改善水产养殖，环境清理和医疗实践。********** ****

Iron has different functions in living beings. It is required as an irreplaceable trace element by all**cells. Iron scavenging agents (chelators) are able to modulate the response of the immune system to triggers like inflammation or infection. However, a better understanding of the discrete roles that iron and its sequestration by chelators plays at the basic cellular level is needed. Chelation Partners Inc. (CPI) has developed a family of novel iron chelators. The availability of those highly-specific iron scavenging substances makes it possible for the first time to investigate the different roles that iron plays in bacterial physiology. ****The possible application of DIBI in inhibiting another important form of bacterial growth within biofilms, thereby alleviating the problems caused by biofilm growth of bacteria, has not been previously explored. The company (CPI) sees tremendous potential for new markets in developing DIBI into a product that will inhibit bacterial biofilm in the environments, but they lack the in-house capability to carry out the biofilm assays to understand the underlying mechanisms involved in DIBI. CPI requires the assistance and expertise in Microbiology and Cell Biology in Dr. Cheng's laboratory in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Dalhousie University.****The proposed NSERC Engage project is directed toward thoroughly examining how DIBI affects biofilm formation or enables biofilm disruption. More specifically, we will use multiple well-developed P. aeruginosa biofilm assays to measure the biomass of biofilm and viability of bacterial cells within biofilms.****In summary, this work will contribute to our understanding of the molecular basis of iron chelation in bacterial biofilm and contribute in the long run to improve aquaculture, environmental cleanup, and medical practices. ********** ****