Biogenesis of outermembrane proteins in Gram-negative bacteria

围绕每个革兰氏阴性菌的双层膜保护细菌免受其环境的影响，并且是许多其他基本功能的场所，例如营养物质获取，细胞信号传导，粘附，运动性，毒性或细菌繁殖。这些膜中的蛋白质至关重要，因为它们完成的功能是细胞存活和细菌致病所必需的。虽然内膜蛋白的生物发生已经研究了几十年，并在文献中有很好的描述，整合膜蛋白在细菌外膜内的整合和生物发生的机制仍然难以捉摸。这些机制是至关重要的，因为它们被病原菌用来用促进毒力的细胞表面蛋白覆盖自己，因此被认为是开发针对细菌病原体的新疗法的有希望的药物靶点。Calmettes实验室的研究旨在研究一种新型插入酶复合物的详细作用和功能，这种复合物有助于外膜蛋白的生物合成。使用跨学科的方法，我们的研究计划旨在提供更全面的外膜生物发生的图片，并为科学界提供创新抗菌疗法开发的额外工具。我们的实验室还将投资于高级微生物学，生物化学和生物物理学方面的高素质人才的培训，巩固加拿大生物科学和工程领域学术界和私人职业的高技能劳动力。

The double membrane surrounding each Gram-negative bacteria protects the bacteria from its environment, and is the site of many other essential functions such as nutriment acquisition, cell-signaling, adhesion, motility, virulence, or bacterial reproduction. The proteins in these membranes are of critical importance as the functions they accomplish are required for cell survival and bacterial pathogenesis. While the biogenesis of inner-membrane proteins has been studied over decades and is well described in the literature, the mechanisms underlying the incorporation and biogenesis of integral membrane proteins within the bacterial outer-membrane remain elusive. These mechanisms are of critical importance as they are used by pathogenic bacteria to cover themselves with cell surface proteins promoting virulence, and thus are considered promising drug targets for the development of novel therapeutics against bacterial pathogens.******Research at the Calmettes lab will aim at examining the detailed roles and functions of a novel insertase complex contributing to the biogenesis of outer-membrane proteins. Using transdisciplinary approaches our research program is designed to deliver a more comprehensive picture of the outer-membrane biogenesis and provide the scientific community with additional tools for the development of innovative antibacterial therapies. Our laboratory will also invest in the training of highly qualified personnel in advanced microbiology, biochemistry and biophysics, consolidating the Canadian highly-skilled labor force for academia and private careers in bioscience and engineering sectors.