The regulatory roles of ComK proteins in Bacillus cereus and other Bacilli
PhD ceremony: Ms. A.M. Mironczuk, 14.45 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen
Thesis: The regulatory roles of ComK proteins in Bacillus cereus and other Bacilli
Promotor(s): prof. O.P. Kuipers
Faculty: Mathematics and Natural Sciences
The research described in the thesis of Aleksandra Mirończuk was initiated to investigate competence development in B. cereus to understand the evolution and function of the putative competence machinery in Bacilli species. In addition, the roles of ComK proteins in B. cereus were investigated.
Bacteria are small, single-cell organisms that need to survive in rapidly changing environmental conditions. It often occurs that only part of the bacterial population develops survival strategies such as spore or biofilm formation or genetic competence. Genetic competence is the ability to undergo genetic transformation: a process that involves the acquisition of naked DNA form the extracellular environment. Competence development has been described for variety bacteria species, both for Gram negative and Gram positive. In most of these species competence development is a physiological state controlled by a specific regulon, involving quorum sensing and responses to nutrition limitations. The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms by Mirończuk that are involved in this process can lead to create useful biotechnological tools, which can be used for easy genetic engineering of B. cereus and other “non-transformable” species. Her work shows that species previously not known to be naturally transformable, indeed possess a functional competence machinery and under given conditions are able to take up exogenous DNA.
Last modified: | 13 March 2020 01.13 a.m. |
More news
-
17 July 2025
Veni-grants for eleven UG researchers
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded a Veni grant of up to €320,000 each to eleven researchers of the University of Groningen and the UMCG: Quentin Changeat, Wen Wu, Femke Cnossen, Stacey Copeland, Bart Danon, Gesa Kübek, Hannah Laurens, Adi...
-
14 July 2025
ERC Proof of Concept grant for Kottapalli and Covi
Professors Ajay Kottapalli and Erika Covi have received Proof of Concept grants from the European Research Council (ERC).
-
10 July 2025
Dutch Research Agenda funding for nanomedicine research
Prof Dr Anna Salvati, Dr Christoffer Åberg and Prof Dr Siewert-Jan Marrink have been granted a National Science Agenda (NWA) funding to further develop life-saving drugs based on nanotechnology with the NanoMedNL consortium.