How Gram-negative bacteria send harmful proteins through their outer membrane
Elucidating the mechanisms of protein secretion across the outer membrane by bacterial autotransporters
['FUNDING_R01'] · GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · NIH-11167853
Researchers are learning how disease-causing Gram-negative bacteria move harmful proteins across their outer membrane to help people facing drug-resistant bacterial infections.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (ATLANTA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11167853 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project looks at autotransporter proteins that bacteria use to place harmful parts outside their cells, which helps them stick to tissues and damage hosts. The team will study how the secreted “passenger” part folds so much faster inside cells than in the test tube. They will also examine how the passenger moves through a combined channel formed with the BamA protein in the outer membrane. The work is done in lab experiments to reveal the molecular steps that might be blocked to stop infection.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People affected by or at high risk for serious Gram-negative bacterial infections (including drug-resistant strains) could be eventual beneficiaries or candidates for follow-on clinical work.
Not a fit: Patients with non-bacterial conditions or infections caused by Gram-positive organisms are unlikely to directly benefit from this basic laboratory research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new ways to block bacterial virulence factors and slow the development of antibiotic resistance.
How similar studies have performed: Some early laboratory studies have targeted autotransporters or related assembly factors, but detailed mechanism-focused work of this type remains relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
ATLANTA, UNITED STATES
- GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY — ATLANTA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: GUMBART, JAMES C. — GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- Study coordinator: GUMBART, JAMES C.
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.