Projects / Programmes
Colicins - model systems for studies of regulation of gene expression na dprotein-protein interactions
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.05.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Biochemistry and molecular biology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B220 |
Biomedical sciences |
Genetics, cytogenetics |
| B230 |
Biomedical sciences |
Microbiology, bacteriology, virology, mycology |
Bacteriocins, colicins, Escherichia coli, regulation of gene expression, macromolecular evolution, plasmids, protein-protein interactions, membranes
Researchers (7)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Colicins are bacteriocins synthesized by Escherichia coli strains. Synthesis and release of colicins is encoded by three genes: an activity gene, an immunity gene and a lysis gene which is responsible for colicin release through lysis of the producing cell. Colicins are important tools for studies of protein translocation through and into membranes and due to the large number of different colicins as a model of the evolution of macromolecules. We propose that colicins also differ with regard to mechanisms regulating gene expression providing a novel viewpoint of macromolecular evolution. In the framework of the proposed research project, comparison of the mechanisms regulating gene expression of several pore forming and endonucleolytic colicins will be performed. To elucidate the basis of plasmid carriage of colicin encoding genes the molecular structure of plasmid pColK-K235 will be studied. Colicins are interesting also with regard to its interaction with its cognate immunity protein. Studies of the interaction of colicin K with its immunity protein Cki will be inititated as a model of membrane protein-protein interactions.
