# MECHANISMS OF MOTILITY/CHEMOTAXIS IN BACTERIA

> **NIH NIH R01** · CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · 1988 · $193,565

## Abstract

Bacteria have a complex information processing system that
allows them to respond to changes in specific chemicals in their
environment by modifying the pattern of flagella rotation and
thus regulating their motility.  Many of the genes that encode
specific proteins in this pathway have been identified, sequenced,
and their gene products overproduced.  A family of
transmembrane proteins plays a central role in this process.  They
interact with specific ligands and transduce these interactions
into signals that affect flagellar rotation.  They are analogous in
structure and function to cell surface receptors found in a variety
of other prokaryotes as well as in complex eukaryotic systems.
We plan to continue to focus our attention on this family of signal
transducing molecules in order to determine how they function.
We will use a variety of techniques to specifically mutagenize
these genes and study the effects of mutated gene products on the
function of the transducers and their interaction with other
components of the chemotaxis pathway.  We will develop
techniques for studying the function of these proteins in vitro and
methods for measuring the coupling between ligand binding
events, signalling and the reversible methylation of the
transducer.  We hope to understand how these molecules transmit
information across the cell membrane and transduce this
information into a change in the chemistry of the cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3128651
- **Project number:** 5R01AI019296-07
- **Recipient organization:** CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** U2JMKHNS5TG4
- **Principal Investigator:** MELVIN SIMON
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $193,565
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1982-08-01 → 1992-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3128651

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3128651, MECHANISMS OF MOTILITY/CHEMOTAXIS IN BACTERIA (5R01AI019296-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3128651. Licensed CC0.

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