Structure and function of the Clostridium botulinum spore

这是在最近工作的基础上建立的跨学科合作(Terry等人，2017；酱等人，2015；Janganan等人。2016-联合出版)，并向PAB和RF授予BBSRC联合赠款(2017)。这两位申请者在将成像和分子生物学的互补方法应用于细菌细胞表面结构方面都有很好的记录。我们的目的是了解肉毒梭菌孢子组装和分化为营养细胞的机制。这就是产生潜在致命肉毒杆菌毒素的形式。孢子是食物污染的媒介，也是生物恐怖主义的潜在载体。为了实现我们的目标，我们必须了解孢子的3D分子结构，以及它是如何变化的。

This is a cross-disciplinary collaboration building on recent work (Terry et al., 2017; Jiang et al., 2015; Janganan et al. 2016 - joint publication) and the award of a joint BBSRC grant to PAB and RF (2017). Both applicants have a strong track record in applying complementary approaches of imaging and molecular biology to bacterial cell surface structures. Our aim is to understand the mechanics of Clostridium botulinum spore assembly and differentiation into the vegetative cell. This is the form that produces the potentially lethal botulinum toxins. Spores are agents of food contamination and potential vehicles for bioterrorism. To achieve our aim, it is vital that we understand the 3D molecular architecture of the spore, and how it changes.