Studies of nutrient uptake in Mycobacterium bovis - the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis

牛结核病是一种具有全球重要性的疾病。据估计，全世界每年因这种疾病给农业造成的损失达30亿美元。牛结核（TB）的主要病原体是牛分枝杆菌，是结核分枝杆菌复合体的一员。牛结核病是一种在畜牧业中具有高度经济相关性的疾病，因为它直接影响动物生产力并影响肉类和乳制品的出口。在这个项目中，我们想要确定牛支原体是如何获取和利用必需营养素的，目的是确定这些摄取系统的重要性，并确定这些运输系统的结构、功能和机制。我们将采用前沿的多学科方法来了解这种病原体的关键营养运输过程。这项研究对农业生物技术应用有明显的潜在影响。

Bovine tuberculosis is a disease of global importance. It is estimated that the worldwide losses to agriculture from this disease amount to $3 billion per annum. The major causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (TB) is Mycobacterium bovis, a member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Bovine TB is a disease of high economic relevance within livestock farming since it directly affects animal productivity and influences the export of meat and dairy products. In this project we want to determine how M. bovis obtains and exploits essential nutrients - with the aim of determining the essentiality of these uptake systems and determining the structure, function and mechanisms of these transport systems. We will undertake a cutting-edge multidisciplinary approach to understand the key nutrient transport processes of this pathogen. This research has clear potential to impact on the agricultural industry with biotechnological applications.