Carbon sources for salmonella growth in infected host tissues

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Dirk Bumann
• Subject Area: Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens
• Term: from 2008 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 71800400

Salmonella metabolism during infection is supported by hundreds of metabolic enzymes. Based on both theoretical considerations and experimental in vitro data, Salmonella should contain in vivo minimal enzyme amounts that are just sufficient for meeting the metabolic requirements. However, our proteomics data for Salmonella purified from infected mouse tissues suggest that many Salmonella enzymes are present in amounts that greatly exceed in vivo catalytic demand. Such “excess enzyme” is surprising given its substantial costs of resources, ribosomal protein synthesis capacity, and cytosol space. On the other hand, abundant enzyme can have adaptive roles beyond sustaining flux through a single metabolic reaction such as confining precursor metabolites to favorable concentration ranges, diverging fluxes at pathway branching points, efficient utilization of fluctuating nutrient sources, or moonlighting functions. In this project, we will test these and alternative explanations for “excess Salmonella enzymes” using a combination of modeling and experimental approaches.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1316: Host-adapted Metabolism of Bacterial Pathogens
• International Connection: Switzerland