Studying the proteins responsible for medical device bacterial infections

Structure and function of SesC and SesE; conserved biofilm-forming proteins of Staphylococcus epidermidis (Mr William Green Coogan)

Dr Christoph Baumann from the University of York is working out which proteins help the bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis to stick together to form ‘biofilms’. This bacterium is a common cause of hospital infections, growing on devices such as pacemakers, and is often resistant to antibiotics. When these devices become infected, they can become a significant clinical problem. Infections can be life-threatening, causing people to spend longer in hospital and often the only way to cure the infection is to remove the device, so people cannot benefit from them. To form a biofilm, bacteria must first stick to a surface, and then to each other - either directly or indirectly. Proteins called elongated attachment proteins on the surface of bacteria enable this to happen. Four different types are present in Staphylococcus epidermidis infections. In this project, Dr Baumann’s PhD student will work out how two proteins called SesE and SesC allow the bacteria to form these biofilm infections. The student will investigate the genes carrying the genetic code to create these proteins, the structure of the proteins, and how they bind to the surface of adjacent bacteria to form biofilms. This research could reveal new ways to prevent these infections, helping people to benefit from heart devices such as pacemakers for longer.