Chemical Biology
Metabolomics/Lipidomics of bacteria:
This evolutionary biology project aims at elucidating why some bacteria make sterols
Research project funded by the National Science Foundation, NSF-IOS:
"Why do bacteria make sterols?", PI: N. Ward, co-PI: F. Basile
Our laboratory implements several MS techniques (GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, LC-ESI-MS/MS and LC offline MALDI-MS/MS) for the analysis of lipids, carbohydrates and metabolites in microorganisms. Recent work from our laboratory identified several hydroxy-fatty acids (some believed to be associated with lipid A) and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the microorganism Gemmata obscuriglobus. (Project in collaboration with Dr. Naomi Ward; Read the article in J. Bacteriology, 2016, 198, 221-236 journal link).
Terbinafine treatment, a suppresor of sterol synthesis, in Gemmata obscuriglobus inhibits normal budding replication (left). Quantitation of sterols in G. obscuriglobus after being treated with terbinafine (right).
Figures from: "Essentiality of sterol synthesis genes in the planctomycete bacterium Gemmata obscuriglobus", Elena Rivas-Marin, Sean Stettner, Ekaterina Y. Gottshall, Carlos Santana-Molina, Mitch Helling, Franco Basile, Naomi L. Ward & Damien P. Devos, Nature Communications | (2019) 10:2916 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10983-7
MICROBESTIARY: Understand science thourgh art Microbestiary hopes to show, in welcoming and memorable ways, that the bustling microbial world is populated by strange and beautiful characters that are themselves quite charismatic
Microbial Proteomics:
A Study on Strategies for Forming Multicellular Organisms via Cell Aggregation
To form multicellular organisms via cell aggregation, cells must distinguish self from nonself to form a cooperative tissue. In this study, myxobacteria serve as model organisms for making these transitions. In this project we tested the role of the TraAB kin recognition system for a role in cell–cell cooperation because these cell surface receptors mediate the bidirectional exchange of proteins and lipids between cells. Strikingly, cells that adapted to environmental stresses shared their beneficial trait with naïve kin in a TraAB-dependent manner. Surprisingly, donor cells also benefited by apparently establishing harmony in the population when confronted with stress. We conclude that TraAB plays diverse roles in myxobacterial multicellular behaviors including their ability to cooperate.
Subedi, Kalpana, Pravas C. Roy, Brandon Saiz, Franco Basile, and Daniel Wall. “Cell–Cell Transfer of Adaptation Traits Benefits Kin and Actor in a Cooperative Microbe.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121, no. 30 (July 23, 2024): e2402559121. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2402559121
This work was supported by grants from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences R35GM140886 to D.Wall and P20GM103432 from the NIH. Acquisition of the high-resolution LC-MS/MS instrument was funded by a NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 grant (NSF 1655726).
