# THE BACTERIAL SURFACE AND ITS MULTIFUNCTIONAL DOMAINS

> **NIH NIH R01** · RESEARCH INST OF FOX CHASE CAN CTR · 1990 · $259,384

## Abstract

The proposed research focuses on the structural and functional organization
of the cell surface of Escherichia coli and Salmonella anatum; special
emphasis is placed on the characterization of the macromolecular structure
and composition of export domains of the envelope membranes and on the
sites at which specific interactions occur between invading macromolecules
(virus capsids, colicin) and the host cell surface.  We propose a model of
the bacterial surface in which growth-related functions are clustered in
discrete domains.  These functional clusters coincide with the structural
mosaic formed by the zones of adhesion between outer and inner membrane.
At these "adhesion sites," newly synthesized lipopolysaccharides, capsular
polysaccharides and membrane proteins are exported; also enzyme and
receptor activities are localized at these sites.  Furthermore, adhesion
areas serve as injection sites for a large variety of bacteriophages.  We
propose to study a) the ultra-structure and the formation of adhesion sites
in relation to cell growth, and to bacteriophage and colicin interactions;
b) the localization of sites of production and transmembrane traffic
involving polysaccharides and outer membrane proteins; c) procedures to
isolate, concentrate, and analyse membrane adhesion sites.  These projects
will utilize new ultrastructural approaches in combination with
immunological, virological and biochemical techniques.  We expect that the
proposed research will increase our understanding of 1) the structure,
assembly and function of the surface of microbial cells; 2) the location of
the machinery for assembly and export of polysaccharides and proteins; and
3) the functional clusters which incorporate the great variety of virus
receptors and also represent the sites at which membrane components are
inserted into the growing cell surface.  In addition, we anticipate that
the advances in the proposed methodology will be of benefit to a broad area
of cell biology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3124730
- **Project number:** 5R01AI010414-16
- **Recipient organization:** RESEARCH INST OF FOX CHASE CAN CTR
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FF1XVJMDYVR1
- **Principal Investigator:** MANFRED E BAYER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $259,384
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1974-10-01 → 1992-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3124730

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3124730, THE BACTERIAL SURFACE AND ITS MULTIFUNCTIONAL DOMAINS (5R01AI010414-16). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3124730. Licensed CC0.

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