12/15/97

Contacts:
Greg Phillips, Microbiology, Immunology and Preventive Medicine, (515) 294-1525
Ed Adcock, Agriculture Information, (515) 294-2314

ISU RESEARCHERS SEEK BASICS OF E. COLI BACTERIA

AMES, Iowa -- An Iowa State University study of E. coli bacteria may provide the basic understanding for combating the microbe's illness-producing strains.

A trio of genes that appears to be involved in the movement of proteins across cell membranes in E. coli bacteria is the focus of the biotechnology research. The three genes are not unique to bacteria, but are shared by nearly all organisms. The high degree of similarity between the gene products -- from bacteria to humans -- makes this an interesting system to study, said Greg Phillips, researcher and assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Preventive Medicine.

"When nature finds a good way to do something, it tends to use it over and over, instead of continually reinventing the process," he said.

In the long run, Phillips' research may provide insights into how illness-causing bacterial strains function, and could lead to novel means of eliminating the microorganism.

"How these gene products function in E. coli may give an idea of how they work in all organisms," Phillips added. "There's a good indication they are involved in the movement of proteins across membranes. As a bacterial geneticist, I'm interested in how they function in a living system."

Moving proteins outside a cell's interior is a necessary process for all living systems to interact with their environment, and to potentially communicate with each other.

E. coli is a class of simple, one-celled microbes with numerous strains or variants. Some of these strains can cause serious illnesses, but the one Phillips and his group of students are studying is harmless to humans.

Even though E. coli is a relatively simple organism, Phillips said it may offer some surprises. Scientists don't know what half of E. coli's 4,000 genes do, he added.

The products of two of the genes being studied comprise what is called the signal recognition particle (SRP).

"The SRP may function in a way that is similar to how baggage-handlers work at an airport," Phillips said. "The handlers sort luggage by specific tags that lets them know which airplane it goes on. Likewise, the SRP likely recognizes specific signals on proteins and ensures that they get to their proper cellular destination."

Studying these three genes presents a special challenge to the researchers because they are so essential that the bacteria die without them. A number of genetic tools have emerged for this research that could be used to understand the function of other E. coli genes.

The General Medical Science section of the National Institutes of Health is funding this basic research that is designed to answer fundamental questions about living systems.

"Scientists can't always come up with solutions to problems caused by bacteria without understanding the basics of how they function," Phillips said.

News Releases Agriculture in Action Ag Online Communications Skills Home