Using ribosomes as molecular thermometers to predict optimal growth conditions and peer into the ancient history of life on Earth

简介：我们邀请您与我们合作，建立一种新的革命性方法，以窥视我们星球上生命的古老历史。我们将通过研究核糖体来实现这一目标-核糖体是活细胞中最古老的分子机器，其起源可以追溯到40亿年前生命的开始。目的：我们将用途：1.低温电子显微镜，以确定适应极端环境（如沸水或极冷）的细菌的核糖体结构; 2.大数据分析，揭示核糖体适应极端环境的隐藏规则; 3a.蛋白质生物物理学，以评估核糖体蛋白质中的序列变异如何影响它们的解链温度; 3b.利用植物遗传学，评估核糖体突变如何影响植物的温度耐受性; 4.使用先进的3D打印技术，创建一个博物馆展览，展示生物分子如何适应极端环境。成果：这项研究将揭示核糖体如何适应极端温度，以及核糖体如何被用作“分子温度计”：我们将能够通过对其核糖体基因进行测序来准确预测给定生物体的最佳生长环境，而不是进行实验室实验。这可能会永远改变我们研究不可培养和灭绝物种以及我们星球气候变化历史的方法。培训：您将接受结构生物学和生物信息学的高级培训（在纽卡斯尔大学）和蛋白质生物物理学和植物遗传学的基础培训（在达勒姆大学）。您还将与一家私人公司合作，掌握生物分子的3D打印，并准备我们博物馆展览的一部分：“达尔文从未见过的世界的进化”。我们鼓励和培养我们的学生掌握学术写作，口头交流和项目/时间管理的艺术。我们将帮助学生发表至少两篇第一作者论文，并将尽最大努力支持他们过渡到学术界或工业界职业生涯的下一阶段。要求：我们最看重你的求知欲、积极性、友好性和强烈的职业道德。对分子生物学或物理学有基本的了解。我们的指导理念：我们相信有效的导师通过调整学习挑战来帮助学员取得成功，使其“恰到好处”。我们认为你的博士学位。从“出生”到“成熟”的职业生涯：我们将帮助您迈出第一步，逐步成为独立的、世界级的专家，领导您自己的研究项目。

Introduction: We invite you to work with us to establish a new revolutionary method to peer into the ancient history of life on our planet. We will make this possible by studying ribosomes - the most ancient molecular machines in a living cell, the origin of which dates back to the beginning of life 4 billion years ago. Aims: We will use: 1. cryo-electron microscopy to determine structures of ribosomes from bacteria that are adapted to extreme environments, such as boiling water or extreme cold; 2. big data analysis to reveal hidden rules of ribosome adaptations to extreme environments; 3a. protein biophysics to assess how sequence variations in ribosomal proteins affect their melting temperatures; 3b. using plant genetics, assess how ribosomal mutations affect plant temperature tolerance; 4. using advanced 3D printing, create a museum exhibit to illustrate how biological molecules adapt to extreme environments. Outcomes: This study will reveal how ribosomes adapt to extreme temperatures and how ribosomes can be used as 'molecular thermometers': instead of running laboratory experiments, we will be able to accurately predict the optimal growth environment for a given organism by sequencing its ribosomal genes. This may forever change our approach to studying unculturable and extinct species and the history of climate change on our planet.Training: You will receive advanced training in structural biology and bioinformatics (at Newcastle University) and basic training in protein biophysics and plant genetics (at Durham University). You will also cooperate with a private company to master 3D printing of biological molecules and prepare part of our museum exhibit: 'Evolution in the world that Darwin never saw'.We encourage and train our students to master the arts of academic writing, oral communication and project/time management. We will help the student to publish at least two first-author papers and will do our best to support their transition to the next stage of their career in academia or industry. Requirements: We value most your intellectual curiosity, motivation, friendliness, and a strong work ethic. A basic understanding of molecular biology or physics is desired. Our mentorship philosophy: We believe that effective mentors help mentees succeed by adjusting the learning challenges to be 'just right' for them. We consider your Ph.D. training as your professional life from the stage of "birth" to "maturity": we will help you make your first baby steps and gradually become an independent, world-class expert leading your own research project.