Rerunning the evolution of an ancient bacterial propeller

这个项目旨在测量驱动细菌游泳的推进器是如何起源和进化的。该项目希望利用合成生物学和生物物理学的跨学科技术，在分子进化方面产生新的知识，以复活古代蛋白质，并测试如何指导它们在当代宿主中进化。预期的结果包括开发用于合成生物学和微流体的新型鞭毛马达，以及复活古老蛋白质并进化其功能的新方法。这将为定制应用提供全新的分子马达，并激发公众对这种标志性分子复合物起源和演变的兴趣，从而带来显著的好处。

This project aims to measure how the propeller which drives bacterial swimming originated and then evolved. This project expects to generate new knowledge in molecular evolution using interdisciplinary techniques in synthetic biology and biophysics to resurrect ancient proteins and test how they can be directed to evolve in a contemporary host. Expected outcomes include the development of new types of flagellar motor for applied uses in synbio and microfluidics, and new methods to resurrect ancient proteins and evolve their function for purpose. This should provide significant benefits by delivering a de novo molecular motor for custom applications and galvanise public interest in how this iconic molecular complex originated and evolved.