This $626,831 federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) will support collaborative research at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) and Northeastern Illinois University to investigate the molecular mechanisms of how light-sensing phytochrome proteins in bacteria regulate developmental processes.
The research team will use advanced structural biology techniques, including single-particle cryo-electron microscopy and time-resolved X-ray crystallography, to capture detailed "molecular movies" revealing the sequence of structural changes in phytochromes upon light absorption. This work aims to elucidate how phytochromes convert light signals into biochemical signals that control essential bacterial behaviors like motility and gene expression. The award will also fund educational workshops on these cutting-edge imaging methods for graduate and undergraduate students at the participating institutions.
No sub-awards are planned under this grant, which has an ultimate completion date of June 30, 2027.
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