RUI: Rhomboids from Streptomyces: The Unknown Key Player?

Cuny Queensborough Community College, Bayside NY

Investigators

Abstract

Streptomyces are soil bacteria that produce natural products that serve many functions for the bacteria and also possess a number of interesting and useful properties that include anti-bacterial, anti-tumor and anti-parasitic properties. Interactions between Streptomyces and the environment regulate the synthesis of these natural products but much remains unknown about this process. This project addresses the role of rhomboids, a family of protein-degrading enzymes, in the communication of Streptomyces with the environment and is anticipated to shed light on how bacteria "talk" to each other and sense a changing environment. Student research opportunities from this project will be incorporated into the courses that are taught. Students (including members of underrepresented groups) will conduct genetic, molecular and microbiological research and their work will be presented at State, regional and national conferences; they will have opportunities to author publications on their research. In addition a Science, Technology and Engineering Program (STEP) program will engage high school students interested in research, and Queensborough Community College undergraduates will help to mentor them. The objective of this project is to determine the role of rhomboids in Streptomyces coelicolor. Putative rhomboid genes identified through bioinformatics analysis will be knocked-out and the developmental cycle and the production of secondary metabolites will be compared in wild-type and gene knock-out bacterial strains. Mutant rescue studies will be used to characterize the function of rhomboid genes from diverse Streptomyces species and to investigate their role in regulating cell signaling, thereby providing insights into the molecular evolution of regulatory mechanisms in bacteria.