External Seminar "Hacking bacterial growth: genomic strategies to reprogram generation time" by Alfonso Soler-Bistué

Speaker:

Alfonso Soler-Bistué

Visiting Scientist at Boccard Lab

Abstract:
Hacking bacterial growth: genomic strategies to reprogram generation time. -Abstract: Bacterial growth rate (GR) determines how quickly microbes spread, compete, or produce valuable products. Yet the genetic and genomic factors encoding it remain unknown. Using state-of-the-art genome-editing and experimental evolution tools our lab uncovers how GR is genetically encoded keeping at the same time an horizon of application. Vibrio cholerae, the cholera causative agent, divides extremely fast. By moving key genes to new chromosomal positions, we will push its growth to the lower limit. Slow-growing V. cholerae derivatives may be less infective paving the way for live-attenuated vaccines. Conversely, we have studied how to boost the growth of Bradyrhizobium, an extremely slow-growing soybean symbiont. Faster strains may cut the cost of producing bio-fertilizers helping to reduce chemical nitrogen use for soybean production. We uncover fundamental genomic rules that encode growth and allow Synthetic Biologists to reprogram bacterial growth.