How bacteria use and control polyamines
Official title: Investigating the structure, function, and regulation of polyamine acetyltransferases
Funded at San Francisco State University · NIH-11350940 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how bacterial enzymes called polyamine acetyltransferases change small molecules that help bacteria survive, which could help people with bacterial infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | San Francisco State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2019 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $426,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM133506-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11350940 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with bacterial infections, especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant strains, are the group most likely to benefit from downstream therapies informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
People with non-bacterial conditions (for example viral illnesses or noninfectious cardiac disorders) are unlikely to get direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Scientists will determine the shapes and chemical behavior of bacterial polyamine acetyltransferase (PAAT) enzymes using structural biology and biochemical lab techniques, comparing enzymes from disease-causing and harmless bacteria. They will make specific changes to enzyme genes to see which protein parts control what molecules the enzymes act on and how the enzymes assemble. The team will also study how these enzymes are regulated inside bacterial cells and how those changes affect processes linked to antibiotic resistance and virulence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets for drugs that weaken bacteria or stop antibiotic resistance.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory studies have mapped some PAAT structures and functions, but applying that knowledge toward new treatments is still at an early and largely experimental stage.
Where this research is happening
-
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kuhn, Misty — San Francisco State University
- Study coordinator: Kuhn, Misty
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.