Ongoing research projects in the Laboratory of Bacterial Genetics
1. Catalysis of protein folding in the periplasm of Escherichia coli
Studies on the formation of disulfide bridges and the characterization of molecular chaperones and folding catalysts necessary for the maturation of outer membrane proteins.
2. Functional characteristics of peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases
Determination of in vivo function and mechanism of substrate recognition by universally conserved peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases in Escherichia coli.
3. Regulation of extracytoplasmic stress response
Investigation of the regulation mechanism and determination of the function of essential sigma factor RpoE in Escherichia coli and two-component systems controlling the response to extracytoplasmic stress and biogenesis of the outer membrane.
4. Functional characteristic of new, regulatory, small, noncoding RNA that control outer membrane biogenesis and bacterial stress response
Study of the function of newly identified small RNAs in the regulation of RpoE and key components of the outer membrane of bacteria.
5. Assembly and translocation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
Study of the coupling between the synthesis and translocation of lipopolysaccharide mediated by the essential heat shock proteins LapB and FtsH in concert with LapC and HslUV protease complex that control the first committed step in the LPS biosynthesis catalyzed by LpxC in Escherichia coli.
6. Heat shock response
Regulation of the heat shock response and functional characteristics of heat shock proteins discovered in our laboratory.