How cholera and other bacteria sense chemicals and steer their movement
Variation in chemotactic strategies within and across bacterial species
Researchers are learning how disease-causing bacteria such as Vibrio cholerae and E. coli detect chemical signals and change how they swim, which relates to infection and biofilm formation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11325377 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you want to know how bacteria find and invade host tissues, this work looks at the tiny signaling switches that guide their movement. The team uses single-cell fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to watch signaling inside individual Vibrio cholerae cells and compares their run-reverse-flick movement to the run-and-tumble behavior of E. coli. By linking molecular signaling to real swimming patterns, the lab aims to explain how different bacteria generate the inputs that drive their motion. The findings could clarify why some bacteria form biofilms or invade hosts more effectively.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People affected by or interested in infections caused by Vibrio cholerae or similar bacteria, or who can provide clinical bacterial isolates, would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: This project does not offer direct treatment and is unlikely to help patients with conditions unrelated to bacterial infection or biofilms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how pathogenic bacteria navigate could point to ways to block infection or prevent biofilm-related illness.
How similar studies have performed: Chemotaxis signaling is well understood in E. coli, but applying single-cell signaling measurements to Vibrio cholerae and other pathogens is a newer, less-tested direction.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Emonet, Thierry — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Emonet, Thierry
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.