ASSEMBLY OF THE SPORE COAT OF B SUBTILIS

描述(申请人提供)：细菌孢子是最多的 自然界中发现的特殊细胞类型。这些特殊的休眠细胞是 抵抗几乎所有形式的环境攻击，但保留 一旦条件成熟，就有能力蜕变为生长细胞 有利的。这些能力依赖于最外层的保护壳 孢子周围有一层名为外套的多层蛋白质盔甲，它提供了 孢子结构完整，不包括所有大分子。尽管 被毛赋予孢子的惊人能力，我们知道相对 几乎没有关于它是如何建造的，以及它是如何提供保护的。在这份提案中， 我们试图确定芽孢杆菌中已知外壳蛋白之间的联系。 枯草杆菌孢子以及发现新的外壳蛋白和接触 他们在大衣里做的。特别是，我们将确定哪些外壳蛋白 与两种关键蛋白质相互作用，称为Cote和SpoIVA，这两种蛋白质发挥重要作用 在涂层装配中的角色。这些研究将有助于我们了解 这种高度耐受的细胞类型是其耐用性的基础。最终， 我们打算定义直接影响孢子被的生化相互作用。 集合。这将提供对分子基础的更广泛的理解。 复杂的组装事件，这是一个与细胞生物学普遍相关的问题。这个 然而，这个项目的兴趣并不局限于基础研究，因为 来自各种生物体，特别是梭状芽胞杆菌的细菌孢子是 主要食物病原菌和枯草芽孢杆菌、枯草芽孢杆菌、枯草杆菌亲缘菌株产生的孢子。 炭疽菌可作为一种高效的生物武器。它的大部分效力 这些病原体是由被毛引起的，它允许孢子快速扩散和 用目前的技术使去污变得非常困难。关于涂层的研究 组装可能会揭示对抗这些致病因子的新方法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Bacterial spores are among the most extraordinary cell types found in nature. These specialized dormant cells are resistant to virtually all forms of environmental assault but retain the capacity to metamorphose into a growing cell as soon as conditions are favorable. These abilities depend on the outermost protective shell that surrounds the spore, a multilayered protein armor called the coat, which gives the spore structural integrity and excludes all large molecules. In spite of the amazing capabilities bestowed on spores by the coat, we know relatively little about how it is built and how it provides protection. In this proposal, we seek to identify the contacts between known coat proteins in Bacillus subtilis spores as well as to discover novel coat proteins and the contacts they make within the coat. In particular, we will determine which coat proteins interact with two key proteins, called CotE and SpoIVA, that play important roles in coat assembly. These studies will help us understand the formation of this highly resistant cell type and the basis for its durability. Ultimately, we intend to define the biochemical interactions that direct spore coat assembly. This will provide a broader understanding of the molecular basis of complex assembly events, a question of general relevance to cell biology. The interest of this project is not confined to basic research, however, as bacterial spores from a variety of organisms, particularly clostridia, are major food pathogens and the spores produced by a relative of B. subtilis, B. anthracis, can be used as a highly effective bioweapon. Much of the potency of these pathogens is due to the coat, which permits rapid spore dispersal and makes decontamination very difficult with current technology. Studies of coat assembly may reveal novel approaches to combat these disease-causing agents.