Final Activity Report Summary - TRANSLOCATION (Molecular basis of antibiotic translocation)
Within this project we;
- Improved the time resolution of our electrophysiological set-up.
- Combining high resolution electrophysiology and all atom molecular modelling allowed us now to identify the rate limiting interaction of the drug with the channel.
- Together with our colleagues in clinical microbiology and our partner from a pharmaceutical company we characterized the transport of several ß-lactam, cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone antibiotics through E. coli and Campylobacter porins. We further isolated and characterised two porins from Providencia stuartii.
The Initial Training Network 'Molecular basis of antibiotic translocation' served to train scientists with different scientific background to go beyond the classical borders of the individual disciplines. During four year experts in nanotechnology, physics, chemistry, computer modelling, pharmacology, and microbiology worked together. In addition to the directly financed 460 man month of researcher also other group members and guests participated in this project. Moreover to integrate this network in the larger community, we initiated a COST action (BM0701 ATHENS in 2008) and to render this network more sustainable we prepared a European Master in Biophysics on Molecular Transport across Bacterial Walls. Furthermore, we annually organized and continue to organise research workshops on the topic of this proposal for about 100 participants.
To conclude the main results are:
- We elucidated the rate limiting interaction of ampicillin during the passage across OmpF from E.coli. This approach can be generalised for many other transport processes through channels (antibiotics, nutrition, substrates, peptides, proteins etc).
- We developed a novel set-up with very low background capacitance (<2pF) allowing to record very small channels with high precision.
- We provided training in electrophysiology for a large number of interested researcher outside our network.
- We provided a platform for novel techniques in electrophysiology by offering an annual workshop for more than 100 participants. Special attention was paid to integrate biologists, chemist, physicists, engineers and researcher from industry.