Publications by authors named "Sean M Watson"
Under conditions of glucose excess, aerobically growing bacteria predominantly direct carbon flux towards acetate fermentation, a phenomenon known as overflow metabolism or the bacterial 'Crabtree effect'. Numerous studies of the major acetate-generating pathway, the Pta-AckA, revealed its important role in bacterial fitness through the control of central metabolism to sustain balanced growth and cellular homeostasis. In this work, we highlight the contribution of the Pta-AckA pathway to fitness of the spore-forming bacterium, We demonstrate that disruption of the Pta-AckA pathway causes a drastic growth reduction in the mutants and alters the metabolic and energy status of the cells.
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- The death and lysis of specific bacterial cells during biofilm development release extracellular DNA, benefiting the entire bacterial community, and this process is influenced by the CidR transcriptional regulator.
- This study identifies crucial elements for the induction of a specific operon, highlighting the roles of CidR and the catabolite control protein A (CcpA) in regulating gene expression linked to carbon metabolism.
- Experimental results show that both CidR and CcpA are necessary for the operon's full expression, emphasizing a complex interaction of these regulators based on the bacteria's metabolic state.
Burying beetles ( spp.) are among the relatively few insects that provide parental care while not belonging to the eusocial insects such as ants or bees. This behavior incurs energy costs as evidenced by immune deficits and shorter life-spans in reproducing beetles.
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