As concern mounts over the spread of anthrax and other types of germ warfare, it is worth bearing in mind that many microbes have the potential to benefit humanity. A Stanford research team has received a $2.5 million federal grant to study one such microorganism - the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, which scientists consider the premier model for understanding the mechanisms that regulate bacterial reproduction and growth.
The Stanford team is one of 11 research groups recently funded by the Microbial Cell Project - a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
``Microbes have evolved for 3.8 billion years and have colonized almost every environment on Earth,`` DOE officials note on the project`s website. ``In the process, they have developed an astonishingly diverse collection of capabilities that will help DOE meet its challenges in toxic waste cleanup, energy production, global climate change and biotechnology.``
The goal of the Microbial Cell Project is to create what DOE officials call ``a comprehensive `owner`s manual``` for several species of bacteria, each endowed with a particular biological attribute. For example, the Stanford team will analyze C. crescentus - a harmless, aquatic bacterium - while military researchers will try to unlock the secrets of a different species that has the extraordinary ability to survive enormous doses of radiation.
Single-celled microbes ``can work as miniature chemistry laboratories, making unique products and carrying out specialized functions,`` adds DOE. ``The ultimate aim of this undertaking, and the rationale for DOE`s concerted effort and focus, is to achieve the necessary level of understanding of cellular functions so that they can be manipulated intelligently.``
Stanford project
The main objective of the three-year Stanford project, which began on Sept. 15, is to understand how all of the approximately 3,800 genes that make up the C
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Contact: Mark Shwartz
mshwartz@stanford.edu
650-723-9296
Stanford University
9-Nov-2001