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Content archived on 2024-05-29

Quantitative modeling of the gal regulon

Objective

Completion of genome sequencing of several model organisms has dramatic impact on science. In the post-genomic era research efforts are focused on understanding intracellular molecular interactions underlying cellular function. Functional genomic research aims to build whole-cell models of microbes and other organisms, utilizing advancements in several areas of science. The models constructed can be useful both in studying fundamental aspects of biology, in understanding disease-cells, and in engineering c ells for industrial production of biochemicals.

Regulation of gene expression is a main component in cellular function. In prokaryotic organisms the primary role of transcriptional regulation is to enhance the cells performance in changing environmental conditions. I would like to use the gal regulon as a model system to enhance the understanding of the design principles, behaviour and evolution of microbial transcriptional networks. This project aims the reconstruction and quantitative modelling of the galactose regulatory network in Escherichia coli.

The galactose regulon contains genes involved in the transport and metabolism of the sugar D-galactose, and genes for two transcriptional regulators. D-galactose is important for E. coli as an energy source and also as a component required for complex polysaccharide formation. The project involves experimental verification of network interactions both in vitro and in vivo, together with evaluation of their biological significance. The transcriptional units of the gal regulon are regulated by two specific regulators (GalR and GalS) and a global regulator (CRP), responding to two major input signals, D-galactose concentration and cAMP concentration, respectively. Regulation involves combinations of different mechanisms (contact inhibition/activation, steric hindrance, and DNA looping), making the gal regulon an optimal system to study integration of global and specific signals at the level of transcriptional regulation.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

FP6-2004-MOBILITY-12
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

IRG - Marie Curie actions-International re-integration grants

Coordinator

EÖTVÖS LORÁND UNIVERSITY
EU contribution
No data
Total cost
No data