We are very interested in the basic mechanisms underlying bacterial behaviors and environmental interactions, including pathogens and their hosts. We study bacterial appendages called type IV pili to understand how microorganisms integrate and respond to environmental cues to thrive in diverse conditions. We employ multidisciplinary approaches to address a number of exciting biological questions in this context including cell biology and microscopy, biophysics, biochemistry, and microbial genetics.
Dynamics of bacterial nanomachines
Type IV pili are highly dynamic nanomachines that extend and retract to mediate broad behaviors including surface sensing, virulence, biofilm formation, natural transformation, and twitching motility. While type IV pilus dynamics are essential for these processes, the regulation of these dynamics remains poorly understood. We are studying the mechanisms cells use regulate pilus extension and retraction during biofilm formation and natural transformation in Acinetobacter species.
Subcellular organization in bacteria
Until recently, bacteria were thought to exist as “bags of enzymes” with no spatial organization. It has become abundantly clear in recent years that bacteria dedicate substantial resources into organizing intracellular components to carry out specific functions, yet the mechanisms underlying this spatial organization remain unknown. Using the differing localization patterns of type IV pili found in Acinetobacter species, we study the evolution and mechanisms of subcellular organization in bacteria.