Objective
Research objectives and content
The objective is to develop an understanding of the Kch(potassium channel) found in cells of the enteric bacterium Escherichia coli. Ion channels similar to Kch have major roles in the physiology of all eukaryotic cells, from simple yeasts to man. Over the last few years genes with the capacity to encode channels similar to those found in higher organisms have been identified in bacteria. The kch gene of E. coli encodes a protein that is similar in structure to the eukaryotic potassium channels. The major potassium transport systems of E coli are well described at both the genetic and physiological level and there is well-developed understanding of the regulation of potassium pools in this organism. This is, therefore, one of the best organisms in which to initiate the study of the role of potassium channels.
The channel protein is already under investigation in Professor Booth s laboratory and my work will complement those studies. Mutants will be produced in which the regulatory sites, identified by comparison with similar channels from higher organisms, will be altered. The effects of the mutations on channel activity will be investigated by patch clamp analysis of excised patches derived from bacterial protoplasts and by analysis of cell physiology to create an understanding of the role of the ion channel in the cell.
Training content (objective. benefit and expected impact)
Training in site-directed mutagenesis, analysis of cell physiology, controlled expression of membrane proteins in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and electrophysiological analysis of channel activity will be gained. These advanced techniques will complement my basic training in molecular biology and cell physiology.
Links with industry / industrial relevance (22)
None for this project, but Prof. Booth's laboratory has good links with food and pharmaceutical companies to ensure rapid exploitation of any novel discoveries.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry alkali metals
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology
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Coordinator
AB25 2ZD ABERDEEN
United Kingdom
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