Vitmain B12 trafficking and selectivity in gut bacteria
Vitamin B12 is an essential cofactor for most gut bacteria, yet a significant proportion of these bacteria are unable to synthesize it. Instead, they rely entirely on transport from their environment to meet their needs. We study the molecular mechanisms behind how vitamin B12, or cobamides, are imported and distributed within model gut microbes.
Our laboratory employs a wide range of techniques, including spectroscopy (UV-visible, fluorescence, EPR), membrane protein biochemistry, structural methods (X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM) and microbiology to gain both mechanistic and structural insights into the selectivity and trafficking of vitamin B12 or cobamides.
These studies will provide valuable insights into how bacteria compete with each other and with their host for this precious resource within a complex ecosystem. Understanding these mechanisms could open the door to targeted manipulation of the gut microbiome.
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