Bistable switches are the key elements of the regulatory networks governing cell development, differentiation and life-strategy decisions. Transcriptional noise is a main determinant that causes switching between different states in bistable systems. By using the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae as a model bacterium, we will investigate how transcriptional fidelity and processivity influence (noisy) gene expression and participate in bistability. To study this question, we will use both natural and synthetic S. pneumoniae bistable switches as a highly sensitive probe for transcriptional noise. We will screen for mutations of the transcriptional apparatus that display altered bistability. A pure in vitro transcription system for S. pneumoniae will be set up and used to quantitatively characterize effects of these mutations on transcription. Detailed single-cell analysis using time-lapse microscopy will yield quantifiable data on the effects of the mutations on switching times and probabilities. Mathematical models that take transcription fidelity and processivity into account will be used to pinpoint parameters which most strongly affect the switching probabilities of our bistable networks. A global model encompassing all our in vivo and in vitro data will yield a high resolution systems-level understanding of the role of transcriptional noise in gene regulation of a human pathogen. Genetic and biochemical characterization of mutant RNAPs and/or accessory factors will yield molecular insights into the fundamental mechanisms of transcription. Furthermore, our results might lead to novel drug discovery projects specifically aimed to reduce or increase transcriptional noise to prevent unwanted development of pathogenic bacteria such as S. pneumoniae
Programme: SysMO
SEEK ID: https://fairdomhub.org/projects/15
Public web page: http://www.sysmo.net/index.php?index=163
Organisms: Streptococcus pneumoniae
FAIRDOM PALs: Robin Sorg
Project created: 20th Jul 2010
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- People (8)
- Programmes (1)
- Institutions (3)
- Investigations (3)
- Studies (5+1)
- Assays (5)
- Data files (24)
- Publications (23)
Projects: Noisy-Strep
Institutions: University of Cologne
With a background in the statistical mechanics of disordered systems, my research focusses on the interface between statistical physics and molecular biology. At the centre is the relationship between fluctuations and noise in biological systems, the corresponding statistical ensembles, and biological function. This connection emerges at very different levels and timescales, from stochastic modeling of gene expression to the population dynamics of regulatory DNA.
Projects: Noisy-Strep
Institutions: University of Cologne
Expertise: Mathematical modelling, Statistical Physics
Tools: Python, Matlab, Mathematica, Stochastic models, stochastic methods, fortran
I am a phd student working on statistical physics and complex systems and applying concepts from these fields to biology.
Projects: Noisy-Strep
Institutions: University of Groningen
Projects: Noisy-Strep
Institutions: University of Groningen
Projects: Noisy-Strep
Institutions: University of Groningen
Projects: Noisy-Strep
Institutions: University of Groningen
Expertise: Microbiology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Single Cell analysis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacterial Cell Biology, Molecular microbiology, Medical microbiology, Streptococcus pneumoniae
Tools: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Genetic modification, Transcriptomics, Fluorecence based reporter gene analyses/single cell analyses, Molecular biology techniques (RNA/DNA/Protein)
The Veening lab is interested in phenotypic bi-stability in Streptococcus pneumoniae and its importance in virulence of this human pathogen.
Projects: Noisy-Strep
Institutions: University of Newcastle
SysMO is a European transnational funding and research initiative on "Systems Biology of Microorganisms".
The goal pursued by SysMO was to record and describe the dynamic molecular processes going on in unicellular microorganisms in a comprehensive way and to present these processes in the form of computerized mathematical models.
Systems biology will raise biomedical and biotechnological research to a new quality level and contribute markedly to progress in understanding. Pooling European research ...
Projects: BaCell-SysMO, COSMIC, SUMO, KOSMOBAC, SysMO-LAB, PSYSMO, SCaRAB, MOSES, TRANSLUCENT, STREAM, SulfoSys, SysMO DB, SysMO Funders, SilicoTryp, Noisy-Strep
Web page: http://sysmo.net/
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Studies: Genome wide marker frequency analysis on new strains to image genetic lo...
Snapshots: No snapshots
A key insight, emerging from discussions and data between the projects PIs, was the importance of switching rates in bistable systems. While the existence of multiple steady states in bistable systems can be described by universal models (that do not differ between different systems), switching rates from one stable state to another depend on the molecular details of the system under consideration.
Snapshots: No snapshots
Handling and manipulation of S. pneumoniae using molecular, cell biological and genetic tools.
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Studies: Automated time-lapse microscopy, Chromosome segregation in S. pneumoniae, Investigation of bacterial transcription fidelity and processivity, The role of transcription factor GreA in transcription fidelity and proc...
Assays: Kinetics of misincorporation and proofreading by bacterial RNA polymerase, Live Cell Imaging of Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus pneumoniae usin..., ParB-GFP ChIP on chip, RNA-Seq
Snapshots: No snapshots
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigation: Chromosome segregation and cell division in Str...
Snapshots: No snapshots
For cells to accurately read out the genomic content, high fidelity during transcription is required. This is mainly established by the accuracy of the active centre of RNA polymerase (RNAP). Based on in vitro experiments with Escherichia coli RNAP it was also suggested that proofreading of transcription via RNA hydrolysis by RNAP may contribute to overall fidelity and processivity. RNAP’s intrinsic cleavage activity is stimulated by the highly conserved Gre factors suggesting that Gre factors ...
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigation: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Assays: RNA-Seq
Snapshots: No snapshots
During the last few years scientists became increasingly aware that average data obtained from microbial population based experiments are not representative of the behavior, status or phenotype of single cells. Due to this new insight the number of single cell studies rises continuously (for recent reviews see (1,2,3)). However, many of the single cell techniques applied do not allow monitoring the development and behavior of one specific single cell in time (e.g. flow cytometry or standard ...
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigation: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Assays: Live Cell Imaging of Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus pneumoniae usin...
Snapshots: No snapshots
Here we develop a set of new tools for S. pneumoniae and as a case study we show that S. pneumoniaea SMC is recruited to oriC by ParB and promotes chromosome segregation.
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigation: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Assays: ParB-GFP ChIP on chip
Snapshots: No snapshots
Submitter: Nikolay Zenkin
Investigation: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Assays: Kinetics of misincorporation and proofreading by bacterial RNA polymerase
Snapshots: No snapshots
Cells were grown to mid-exponential phase (OD600nm ~0.2) in GM17 medium at 37°C (with 0.15 mM ZnSO4 where relevant) and 84 ml of culture was mixed by inverting with 8.4 ml of fixing solution (50 mM Tris pH 8.0, 100 mM NaCl, 0.5 mM EGTA, 1 mM EDTA, 30% (v/v) formaldehyde) and incubated at room temperature for 30 min. Cells were disrupted and crosslinked DNA was sheared by sonication. Antibodies coupled to magnetic beads were used to pull down cross-linked complexes. DNA was purified, amplified, ...
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Assay type: Transcriptomics
Technology type: ChIP-on-chip
Investigation: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Organisms: Streptococcus pneumoniae : D39 (wild-type / wild-type)
SOPs: No SOPs
Data files: ChIP-chip ParB-GFP
Snapshots: No snapshots
Artificial transcription elongation compexes are assembled in vitro using synthetic deoxy-oligonucleotides (representing template and non template DNA strands), radiolabelled RNA (representing nascent transcript) and purified RNA polymerase. After high salt wash the incorrect NTP is added and reaction is allowed to proceed for the various amounts of time. Reaction is stopped by addition of formamide-containing loading solution and the products are resolved on high-percentage denaturing polyacryamide ...
Submitter: Nikolay Zenkin
Assay type: Reactomics
Technology type: Enzymatic Activity Measurements
Investigation: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Organisms: No organisms
SOPs: No SOPs
Data files: No Data files
Snapshots: No snapshots
S.pneumoniae D39 cells (wild type and delta greA) were grown in C+Y medium and cells were harvested for total RNA isolation at mid-exponential growth (OD600nm 0.3 for wt, 0.25 for delta greA). Total RNA was isolated as described before (Kloosterman et al 2006). The total RNA samples were examined by capillary electrophoresis. dephosphorylated with antarctic phosphatase followed by treatment with polynucleotide kinase (PNK). Afterwards, samples were poly(A)-tailed using poly(A) polymerase. Then a ...
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Assay type: Transcriptomics
Technology type: Technology Type
Investigation: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Organisms: No organisms
SOPs: No SOPs
Data files: RNA-seq delta greA, RNA-seq wild type
Snapshots: No snapshots
- Preparation of B. subtilis cultures
Inoculate cells from -80°C stocks in 10 ml time-lapse microscopy (TLM) medium (62 mM K2HPO4 , 44mM KH2PO4, 15 mM (NH4)2SO4, 6.5 mM sodium citrate, 0.8 mM MgSO4, 0.02 % casamino acids, 27.8 mM glucose, 0.1 mM L-tryptophan, the pH was set to 7 using a KOH solution) supplemented with antibiotics, if necessary. Grow the cells overnight in a shake flask (30°C, 225 rpm). The following morning, dilute the cells 1:10 in pre-warmed chemically defined medium (CDM) (62 ...
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Assay type: Experimental Assay Type
Technology type: Imaging
Investigation: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Assay type: Experimental Assay Type
Technology type: Next generation sequencing
Investigation: Chromosome segregation and cell division in Str...
Organisms: No organisms
SOPs: No SOPs
Data files: DCI15, MK453, MK454, Whole genome marker frequency analysis on strai..., Whole genome marker frequency analysis on strai..., Whole genome marker frequency analysis on strai...
Snapshots: No snapshots
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: Chromosome segregation and cell division in Str...
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: Chromosome segregation and cell division in Str...
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: Chromosome segregation and cell division in Str...
Strain MK423 was grown under the same conditions as used when growing cells for microscopy analysis; cells of OD600 = 0.4 were diluted 100-fold in C+Y medium with 0.1 mM ZnCl2 and incubated for 2.5 hours until OD600 = 0.15. Cells were then harvested by centrifugation for 5 min at 6500 x g at 4°C. Genomic DNA was isolated using the Wizard® Genomic DNA Purification Kit (Promega) as described previously (Slager et al. 2014 Cell). Fragmentation was performed using Covaris instrument, and libraries ...
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: Chromosome segregation and cell division in Str...
Strain MK422 was grown under the same conditions as used when growing cells for microscopy analysis; cells of OD600 = 0.4 were diluted 100-fold in C+Y medium with 0.1 mM ZnCl2 and incubated for 2.5 hours until OD600 = 0.15. Cells were then harvested by centrifugation for 5 min at 6500 x g at 4°C. Genomic DNA was isolated using the Wizard® Genomic DNA Purification Kit (Promega) as described previously (Slager et al. 2014 Cell). Fragmentation was performed using Covaris instrument, and libraries ...
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: Chromosome segregation and cell division in Str...
Strain MK350 was grown under the same conditions as used when growing cells for microscopy analysis; cells of OD600 = 0.4 were diluted 100-fold in C+Y medium with 0.1 mM ZnCl2 and incubated for 2.5 hours until OD600 = 0.15. Cells were then harvested by centrifugation for 5 min at 6500 x g at 4°C. Genomic DNA was isolated using the Wizard® Genomic DNA Purification Kit (Promega) as described previously (Slager et al. 2014 Cell). Fragmentation was performed using Covaris instrument, and libraries ...
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: Chromosome segregation and cell division in Str...
WT 110901_SN865_B_L006_R1_GQC-28- ATCACG.fastq.gz 100 19.624.852 1,29
llumina fastq format 4 lines for each sequence: 1- Unique identifier, with the following format: @::::#/ 2- Sequence (A, T, C ,G or N (undetermined) only) 3- Orientation (always forward without mapping) 4- Quality value for each base, corresponding to a Phred-like score encoded in ASCII format, with an offset of of 33 (e.g. “J” gives a value of 41) and is in accordance with sanger FASTQ format. The sequence file is compressed ...
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Studies: The role of transcription factor GreA in transc...
Assays: RNA-Seq
See wild type sample.
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: Wetlab approach to transcription fidelity
Studies: The role of transcription factor GreA in transc...
Assays: RNA-Seq
S. pneumoniae RNA-Seq Barcodes: HPUra 1: CAGATC HPUra 2: ACTTGA Kanamycin: AGTCAA
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
S. pneumoniae RNA-Seq Barcodes: Control 1: CAGATC Control 2: ACTTGA
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
E. coli RNA-Seq Barcodes: Trimethoprim 1: CCGTCC Trimethoprim 2: GTAGAG
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
E. coli RNA-Seq Barcodes: Control 1: AGTTCC Control 2: ATGTCA
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
E. coli DNA-Seq Barcodes: control 1: GTGGCC control 2: GTTTCG Trimethoprim 1: CACTCA Trimethoprim 2: CAGGCG
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
S. pneumoniae kanamycin DNA PE2
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
S. pneumoniae kanamycin DNA PE1
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
S. pneumoniae HPUra 2 DNA PE2
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
S. pneumoniae HPUra 2 DNA PE1
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
S. pneumoniae HPUra 1 DNA PE2
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
S. pneumoniae HPUra 1 DNA PE1
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
S. pneumoniae Control 2 DNA PE2
Creator: Jan-Willem Veening
Submitter: Jan-Willem Veening
Investigations: No Investigations
Studies: No Studies
Assays: No Assays
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