Mechanism of action of the BldB/AbaA proteins

天蓝色链霉菌是一大类芽胞形成和抗生素产生细菌的极好的实验模型。与更简单的细菌不同，链霉菌通过定义的生命周期生长，这与许多真核真菌的生命周期相似。这始于孢子萌发和丝状底物菌丝的产生。它们通过伸长和分枝来生长，以产生底物菌丝体。1-2天后，第二种细胞类型，气生菌丝，出现在底物菌丝表面，生长到空气中，并变质为孢子。当孢子在气生菌丝中形成时，底物菌丝产生抗生素，从而保护下一代(孢子)免受捕食者的侵袭。目前使用的大多数抗生素都是由链霉菌产生的。我由NSERC资助的工作旨在了解底物和气生菌丝的区别。在这个过程中，我们打算解决一个新的蛋白质家族的作用机制。

Streptomyces coelicolor is a superb experimental model for a large family of spore-forming and antibiotic-producing bacteria. Unlike simpler bacteria, the streptomycetes grow in via defined a life cycle that is similar to those of many eukaryotic fungi. This commences with spore germination and the generation of filamentous substrate hyphae. These grow by elongating and branching to produce a substrate mycelium. After 1-2 days a second cell type, the aerial hyphae, appears on the surface of the substrate mycelium, grows up into the air and metamorphoses into spores. While spore formation is taking place in the aerial hyphae, the substrate hyphae produce antibiotics such that the next generation (the spores) is protected from predators. Most currently employed antibiotics are produced by the streptomycetes. My NSERC-funded work is aimed at understanding the differentiation of the substrate and aerial hyphae. In the process we intend to solve the mechanism of action of a novel family of proteins.