Award Abstract # 2103676
Collaborative Research: H-NOX homologues in biofilm formation: A combined molecular and systems level approach.

NSF Org: MCB
Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences
Recipient: NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date: April 28, 2021
Latest Amendment Date: August 15, 2023
Award Number: 2103676
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: Marcia Newcomer
mnewcome@nsf.gov
 (703)292-2357
MCB
 Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences
BIO
 Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date: July 1, 2021
End Date: June 30, 2026 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $1,190,460.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $1,190,460.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2021 = $870,776.00
FY 2023 = $319,684.00
History of Investigator:
  • Erik Yukl (Principal Investigator)
    etyukl@nmsu.edu
  • Tanner Schaub (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Patrick Trainor (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Samantha Carlisle (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: New Mexico State University
1050 STEWART ST.
LAS CRUCES
NM  US  88003
(575)646-1590
Sponsor Congressional District: 02
Primary Place of Performance: New Mexico State University
Corner of Espina St. & Stewart
Las Cruces
NM  US  88003-8002
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
02
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): J3M5GZAT8N85
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Molecular Biophysics
Primary Program Source: 01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT

01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 102Z, 7465, 9150
Program Element Code(s): 114400
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.074

ABSTRACT

Biofilms are stationary communities of bacteria that adhere to various surfaces. Inhabitation of a biofilm often makes bacteria resistant to clearance strategies that are effective against their free-living (planktonic) counterparts. As such, understanding the molecular cues that promote switching between the stationary and untethered lifestyles can guide our responses to biofilm formation in both beneficial and detrimental contexts. This project seeks to characterize cellular changes accompanying biofilm formation at the systems level, as well as the role of a particular family of sensor proteins in biofilm formation/dissolution at the molecular level. Student training is a major emphasis of this work. Students will be co-mentored by a team of scientists with expertise in diverse techniques and will have the opportunity to conduct transformative research at national laboratories. A proteomics workshop for graduate students will also be developed to train the next generation of scientists in this cutting-edge technology.

The scientific objective is to define conserved and novel mechanisms of bacterial signaling relevant to biofilm formation across multiple species using advanced structural and proteomics methods. At the molecular level, this will include determining the mechanisms by which the heme nitric oxide/oxygen binding proteins (H-NOX) sense oxidants and/or nitric oxide (NO), resulting in biofilm formation or dissolution. Structure determination using X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) will be utilized as well as X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS). Advanced proteomics and phosphoproteomics will detail the signaling networks involved in this process at the organismal level using H-NOX deletion mutants. This combination of approaches will yield detailed mechanistic understanding of an important signaling process and how it has evolved to meet the needs of diverse bacterial species.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Islam, Md_Shariful and Alatishe, Aishat and Lee-Lopez, Cameron_C and Serrano, Fred and Yukl, Erik_T "H-NOX Influences Biofilm Formation, Central Metabolism, and Quorum Sensing in Paracoccus denitrificans" Journal of Proteome Research , v.23 , 2024 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00466 Citation Details
Lee-Lopez, Cameron and Islam, Md.Shariful and Meléndez, Ady B. and Yukl, Erik T. "Influence of the Heme Nitric Oxide/Oxygen Binding Protein (H-NOX) on Cell Cycle Regulation in Caulobacter crescentus" Molecular & Cellular Proteomics , v.22 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100679 Citation Details

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