How bacterial spores wake up and start growing
Molecular basis of spore germination
Researchers are mapping the molecular steps that let hardy bacterial spores detect food and resume growth, with a focus on bugs that cause food poisoning and infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Medical School NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11111405 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project aims to define, in molecular detail, how spores from Bacillus and related bacteria sense nutrients and exit dormancy. The team will use genetics to make targeted mutations, biochemistry to study released small molecules and proteins, computational modeling to connect data, and structural methods to visualize key protein complexes. They focus on germinant receptors, the spoVA transporter thought to expel dipicolinic acid, ion fluxes, and enzymes that remodel the spore cortex. The work is lab-based and centered at Harvard Medical School using bacterial strains and purified components.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll patients; it is a laboratory study of bacterial spores rather than a clinical trial or patient-facing protocol.
Not a fit: People with infections caused by non-spore-forming organisms are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to block spore germination and so prevent food spoilage, food-borne illness, and some hard-to-treat infections.
How similar studies have performed: Some individual proteins and steps have been described before, but the overall germination signal transduction pathway remains largely uncharacterized, so this is a relatively novel, exploratory effort.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard Medical School — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rudner, David Z — Harvard Medical School
- Study coordinator: Rudner, David Z
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 below.