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Professor Kevin M Devine BSc (Hons) PhD FTCD MRIA Short CV 1976: 1980: 1980 – 1984: Present: B.Sc. (Hons) National University of Ireland (UCD) PhD. Biochemistry Department, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California at San Diego, USA Professor of Microbial Molecular Genetics, Department of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Research Regulation of cell wall metabolism in Bacillus subtilis. The cell wall of Gram positive bacteria is composed of peptidoglycan and an additional glycopolymer (e.g. teichoic acid) in approximately equal proportions. Together these polymers form a protective sacculus that imparts shape to the cell, resists turgor pressure and is the point of interaction between the cell and the environment. Cell wall integrity is essential for viability, illustrated by the fact that it is the site of action of many of our best antibiotics. The cell wall is a dynamic structure with synthesis and turnover occurring constantly through the cell cycle. Cell wall synthetic activity is bi-located: precursors are synthesized within the cytoplasm while their integration and assembly into new polymer occurs outside the cell. Thus, communication between these compartments is required to coordinate precursor production with wall synthesis/turnover during growth and under various stress conditions. Our research is focused on the roles of the WalRK(YycFG) and PhoPR two-component signal transduction systems in controlling and coordinating cell wall synthesis. We have established that WalRK controls peptidoglycan metabolism by regulating expression of autolysins and autolysin-modulating activities. The PhoPR two-component system controls teichoic acid metabolism and activates expression of phosphate scavenging enzymes under phosphate limiting conditions (teichoic acid is rich in phosphate). We have shown how the WalRK and PhoPR two-component systems, together with an alternative sigma factor SigI, cooperate to control peptidoglycan and teichoic acid metabolism during growth and under stress. A current research is focused on identifying the molecular signals being monitored by the WalK and PhoR sensor kinases. Recent publications Botella, E., Devine, S.K., Hubner, S., Salzberg, L.I., Gale, R.T., Brown, E.D., Link, H., Sauer, U., Codée, J.D., Noone, D. and Devine K.M. (2014). PhoR autokinase activity is controlled by an intermediate in wall teichoic acid metabolism that is sensed by the intracellular PAS domain during the PhoPR-mediated phosphate limitation response of Bacillus subtilis. Mol Microbiol. doi: 10.1111/mmi.12833. Salzberg, L.I., Powell, L., Hokamp, K., Botella, E., Noone, D. and Devine, K.M. (2013). The WalRK (YycFG) and σI RsgI regulators cooperate to control CwlO and LytE expression in exponentially growing and stressed Bacillus subtilis cells. Molecular Microbiology 87:180-195. Devine, K. M. (2012) Bacterial L-forms on tap: an improved methodology to generate Bacillus subtilis L-forms heralds a new era of research. Molecular Microbiology 83: 10-13. Bisicchia, P., Bui, N. K., Aldridge, C., Vollmer, W. and Devine, K. M. (2011) Acquisition of VanB-type vancomycin resistance by Bacillus subtilis: the impact on gene expression, cell wall composition and morphology. Molecular Microbiology 81: 157-178. Address Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Lincoln Place Gate, Dublin 2, Ireland. [email protected]
