Regulation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa gene expression under low oxygen tensions

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Gerd Döring (†)
• Subject Area: Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens
• Term: from 2003 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5402554

Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes severe infections in several patient groups including patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). In airways of CF patients, P. aeruginosa encounters low oxygen tensions, leading to gene regulation/mutations which can cause a change from a non-mucoid to an mucoid phenotype. Using directed mutagenesis, genomics, proteomics and an animal model of chronic P. aeruginosa lung function we will identify and characterize P.aeruginosa genes and proteins involved in the aerobic/anaerobic switch and analyse by RT-PCR the expression of oxygen controlled genes in P. aeruginosa strains isolated from CF patients. These investigations aim at a detailed description of the anaerobic/microaerobic P. aeruginosa phenotype in CF airways, which may be helpful for the development of antipseudomonal drugs.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants