| Project/Area Number |
23KF0010
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 外国 |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 49050:Bacteriology-related
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| Research Institution | University of Tsukuba |
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Principal Investigator |
森川 一也 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 教授 (90361328)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
FERNANDES PEDRO 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 外国人特別研究員
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| Project Period (FY) |
2023-04-25 – 2025-03-31
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| Project Status |
Granted (Fiscal Year 2023)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000)
Fiscal Year 2024: ¥1,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥1,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000)
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| Keywords | Staphylococcus aureus / Antibiotic tolerance / Competence / Subpopulation |
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| Outline of Research at the Start |
This research aims at characterizing the subpopulation of Staphylococcus aureus that express competence genes (DNA incorporation machinery required for natural transformation), in terms of the cell cycle and tolerant to antibiotics. We plan expression alalysis of several genes under the controls of the regulators termed two-component regulatory systems (TCSs), whose deletion was shown to interfere with competence development. Fluorescence microscopy and FACS analysis will clarify if competence-related genes are part of their regulatory network.
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
During the year FY2023, according to what was stated in the Research Plan, we started by characterizing the subpopulation of cells that can express competence. According to our preliminary results, cells that express competence are confined to the dividing stages of the cell cycle. This suggests that the cell cycle can be an important factor related to competence in Staphylococcus aureus. We also observed, according to point 2 of the Proposed plan, that this subpopulation of cells seems to present different susceptibility towards some antibiotics. This different susceptibility profile does not seem to be common to antibiotic classes. We are now evaluating the expression levels of genes involved in antibiotic resistance in competent cells, according to the third objective of the plan. Further analysis is still required to make conclusions.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
The current status of the research is progressing as initially planned. From the 4 main objectives of the Proposed Plan, only the last objective hasn’t been addressed yet. The remaining research points are all under progress with the first and the second objectives practically finished. Regarding the third objective, all strains have already been constructed and we have already started the microscopy analysis. Overall, the schedule of the research project is within the time frame initially planned. As such, we can predict no major delays in the initial plan.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
For the next fiscal year (FY2024), we plan to continue with the microscopy experiments and subsequent image analysis. We will address the fourth task, which will require the use of Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), according to the proposed plan. This task will also need a more time-consuming data analysis but should still be finished within the timeframe of the fellowship, since we planned a collaboration with a FACS expert from the University of Tsukuba. The results of the research are expected to be presented in the 19th International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections.
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