High-resolution imaging of Rhodobacter sphaeroides strains with increased lipid production
EMSL Project ID
51349
Abstract
Rhodobacter sphaeroides is an alpha-proteobacterium which can remodel its cell envelope under low-oxygen or anaerobic conditions, by increasing its lipid content and forming intracytoplasmic membrane invaginations (ICM) that protrude from the cytoplasmic membrane. It is an industrial bacterium that is being considered for lipid overproduction with funding from the Great Lakes Bioenergy, one of the DOE-funded Bioenergy Research Centers. Recently, we described several genetic lesions that lead to lipid over-production at high O2 tensions, suggesting that these lesions interfere with the normal remodeling of the cell envelope. This proposal aims to use the advanced microscopy techniques available at EMSL to determine the spatial organization of lipid containing structures/cell envelope modifications that may exist in these high lipid strains. Furthermore, spatial localization and dynamics of gene products involved in cell envelope specialization will be assessed. Altogether, this will obtain biochemical and physiological knowledge of systems underlying cell envelope remodeling and lipid overproduction in this and closely related organisms. This knowledge will be a significant advancement in efforts to engineer new microbial biofuel producers.
Project Details
Project type
Large-Scale EMSL Research
Start Date
2020-10-01
End Date
2022-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members