The organization of the archaeal cell

Projektbeschreibung

Die Zellbiologie der Archaeen erkunden

Archaeen sind eine Gruppe von Mikroorganismen, die sich von Bakterien und Eukaryoten unterscheiden und oft in extremen Umgebungen wie heißen Quellen und Rauchern, d. h. Quellen am Grund der Tiefsee, leben. Sie sind für ihre einzigartigen biochemischen und genetischen Eigenschaften bekannt, doch das Verständnis ihrer Zellbiologie ist aufgrund mangelnder Modellsysteme und Instrumente nach wie vor begrenzt. Das Ziel des ERC-finanzierten Projekts ARCHCELLORG besteht darin, dieses Problem zu lösen. Dabei werden fortgeschrittene Methoden einschließlich Live Cell Imaging bei Haloferax volcanii zum Einsatz kommen, um die Zellteilung und Formregulierung bei Archaeen zu untersuchen. Diese Forschungsarbeit wird unser Verständnis der Zellorganisation von Archaeen verbessern und Einblicke in die Evolution des zellulären Lebens, einschließlich der Ursprünge der Eukaryoten, zulassen.

Ziel

Archaea are microbes that form one of the three domains of life. While sharing similarities with both Bacteria and Eukarya, archaea possess unique features such as atypical lipid membranes, the archaellum motility apparatus, and exclusive metabolic pathways like methanogenesis. Studies over the last decade have substantially expanded the archaeal tree of life, revealing the tremendous diversity, widespread distribution and vital ecological roles mediated by these organisms, as well as their crucial evolutionary placement as close relatives of eukaryotes. Despite these major advances regarding archaea diversity, ecology and evolution, our knowledge of archaeal cell biology remains limited, particularly due to the scarcity of model systems and suitable genetic and imaging tools. In ARCHCELLORG, we propose to explore recent methodological advances, including the ability to perform live cell imaging on the model archaeum Haloferax volcanii, combined with genetics, physiology, biochemistry and structural approaches, to unravel the mechanisms governing three fundamental aspects of archaea cellular organization: cell division, polarity, and shape regulation. In Aim 1, we will elucidate the molecular composition of the archaeal division machinery and the mechanisms involved in its organization and placement at the division plane. In Aim 2, we will identify the main regulators of cell polarity and characterize their modes of action. In Aim 3, we will investigate regulators of shape transition and define the mechanisms by which they coordinate shape changes and motility. Elucidating these processes will not only contribute to further our understanding of archaeal cell organization but will likely also provide valuable insights into the evolution of cellular life on Earth, including the processes that led to the emergence of eukaryotes.