RUI: Acid and Base Stress in Escherichia Coli

酸和碱影响土壤和水生环境中的细菌生长和生存，影响土壤生产力和渔业。在人类宿主中，酸和碱可诱导多重耐药基因。在发酵工业中，pH值（测量溶液的酸度或碱度）在生长和生产中起着至关重要的作用。例如，氢化酶的pH调节影响氢燃料的生物生产。在工业过程中，细菌经常形成生物膜，其中pH值降低，加速腐蚀；因此，酸性应激反应放大了生物膜在设备老化中的作用。提出的项目解决了这些问题：(1)如何调节pH在单细胞与生物膜？(2)多药外排泵如何影响极端酸碱环境下细菌的生存？(3)在低氧条件下发现了哪些新的酸生存和碱胁迫成分？为了解决这些问题，将使用荧光显微镜测量细菌细胞的pH值。将测量药物外排泵出口的酸性产品。在低氧环境下细菌生长时，将测试酸碱压力。更广泛的影响。本科院校研究奖将通过继续由本科生开展的创新研究项目，为国家的人力资源做出贡献。本科生在第一年就被招募到实验室，学习基本的技术，同时与更高级的同龄人一起工作。然后学生们写他们自己的小提案，设计和进行实验，并起草手稿发表。大多数被当前项目吸引的本科生决定从事科学事业。在更广泛的社区，PI协助中学教师，并举办实践科学教育的教师讲习班。

Acid and base affect bacterial growth and survival in soil and aquatic environments, impacting soil productivity and fisheries. In the human host, acid and base induce multidrug resistance genes. In the fermentation industry, pH (a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution) plays critical roles in growth and production. For example, pH regulation of hydrogenase enzymes affects the biological production of hydrogen fuel. In industrial processes, bacteria often form biofilms in which the pH is decreased, accelerating corrosion; thus, acid stress response amplifies the role of biofilms in equipment deterioration. The proposed project addresses these questions: (1) How is pH regulated in single cells versus biofilms? (2) How do multidrug efflux pumps impact bacterial survival in extreme acid or base? (3) What novel components of acid survival and base stress are revealed at low oxygen? To address these questions, bacterial cell pH will be measured using fluorescence microscopy. The export of acidic products from drug efflux pumps will be measured. Acid and base stress will be tested during bacterial growth in low oxygen.Broader Impacts. This Research at Undergraduate Institutions Award will contribute to the nation's human resources by continuing an innovative research program run by undergraduates. Undergraduates are recruited in their first year to start in the lab, learning basic techniques while working with more advanced peers. Students then write their own mini-proposals, design and conduct the experiments, and draft the manuscript for publication. Most undergraduates attracted to work on the current project decide to pursue careers in science. In the wider community, the PI assists middle-school teachers and conducts teacher workshops on hands-on science education.