My research projects aim at understanding how living organisms acquire and maintain their shape. For this, I am studying Bacillus subtilis a well-known bacterial model that keep a very constant rod shaped along generations, and in particular how these cells build their envelop, the cell wall. This wall forms a protective, rigid structure outside of the cell, and constitutes the major physical determinant of the shape in bacteria. It is also, as an essential component, a major target for antimicrobial drugs.
To gain insight into this process, I am studying the cell wall synthetic machineries and more specifically the role of bacterial actin homologues (MreB), essential proteins that form mobile polymers with complex dynamics. These studies need a panel of approaches including molecular genetics, biochemistry and super-resolution microscopy (TIRF, SIM, PALM, SPT).
The current projects include:
– super-rez microscopic approaches (SIM-TIRF, PALM) to characterize in vivo the dynamic properties and structures of MreB complexes.
– in vitro characterization of the biochemical properties of B. subtilis MreB (using identified mutants from a previous screen)
– screenings (suppressor mutants, partners of MreB, inhibitors of MreBs, cell shape determinants…)
arnaud-chastanet
