What it takes to grow at pressure

Condensed Matter lunchtime seminar

What it takes to grow at pressure

  • Event time: 1:00pm
  • Event date: 8th November 2010
  • Speaker: Lucas Black (Formerly School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
  • Location: Room 2511,

Event details

Very little is known about how biological organisms are adapted to living and growing at elevated hydrostatic pressure. We have used a simple and powerful method (the screening of a deletion mutant library) to find out which genes are necessary for growth at pressure for the bacterium Escherichia coli. We have combined this with a novel, quantitative, high-throughput growth method allowing for fast and accurate data collection.

Our results show that DNA replication is the most pressure-sensitive physiological process, followed by membrane protein complexes and maintenance of cell shape/cell division mechanisms.

About Condensed Matter lunchtime seminars

This is a weekly series of informal talks given primarily by members of the institute of condensed matter and complex systems, but is also open to members of other groups and external visitors. The aim of the series is to promote discussion and learning of various topics at a level suitable to the broad background of the group. Everyone is welcome to attend..

Find out more about Condensed Matter lunchtime seminars.