Understanding how bacteria take up DNA to spread traits like antibiotic resistance
Official title: Understanding the mechanism of genetic transformation
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11529219 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study using Bacillus subtilis to uncover how environmental DNA is taken up by bacteria, shedding light on how resistance and virulence traits can spread.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | June 1, 1977 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $136,095 |
| NIH project number | 3R01GM057720-55S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11529219 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients at this time (basic bacterial mechanism study).
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient benefit from participation in this basic research project.
What this research studies
If you’re curious how bacteria share genetic material, this project looks at the steps by which DNA from the environment is moved into Bacillus subtilis and incorporated into its genome. Researchers will examine how DNA traverses the cell wall, crosses the cell membrane, and recombines with the recipient’s DNA, using advanced biochemical and imaging methods. The work involves single-molecule experiments, protein purification, and structural biology to understand key players like ComFA, ComFC, ComA, and ComEA. The findings could reveal fundamental details of bacterial transformation that inform how resistance traits emerge and spread in populations. This is basic science aimed at building a clearer picture of bacterial genetics and evolution.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how bacteria acquire and spread resistance genes could inform future strategies to combat antibiotic resistance.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that transformation mechanisms can be studied with Bacillus subtilis using biochemical and biophysical approaches, supporting the validity of this line of work.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dubnau, David a — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Dubnau, David a
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.