Proteomic Responses to Environmental, Nutritional and Genetic Factors in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

This proposal is for equipment to establish a Joint Proteomics Facility for IFR and JIC, complementing a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer which is shortly to be commissioned (June 1999). The principal aims of the research are to apply proteomic analysis to two general categories of investigation: <OL> <LI> Studies involving comparisons of patterns of expressed proteins associated with defined physiological, developmental, genetic or taxonomic states; and the use of these data in gene identification and/or discovery; <LI>Studies focusing on the elucidation of specific molecular interactions, for example of individual proteins involved in developmental processes or hormonal responses. </ol>Within these categories, a diversity of problems will be tackled. Conspicuous amongst these are developmental and environmental responses in Streptomyces (JIC Streptomyces Group), adaptive responses of food-borne bacterial pathogens (newly-formed Division of Food Safety Science, IFR) and studies of nutrient-gene interactions (IFR). Investigations involving the study of specific protein-protein interactions include the gibberellin signal-transduction pathway, transcription- factor control of flowering in Arabidopsis and cell-cycle regulation in Aspergillus (JIC).