Grant: Operating Grant

Understanding how all the genes encoded by the genome of a microbe work together to form a living cell requires a complete description of the 'wiring circuits' that underlie the various fundamental cellular processes. A key feature is the tendency of genes to form molecular pathways that serve as communication links between specific combinations of genes. Genes with similar or overlapping biological roles generally belong to the same pathway. Here, we propose to explore the global pathway architecture of the classical model bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) using powerful new technology developed by our group. Our experimental approach will enable us to generate circuit diagrams for all the pathways and genes involved in important biological processes essential for bacterial cell growth and infection. Since many bacterial genes are conserved across microbial evolution, the identification of the pathway architecture of E. coli should also reveal the organization of pathways in other bacterial species, including pathogens. The data generated in this project will therefore serve as a valuable resource for the entire biomedical research community, and should spur on the development of new antibiotics.