# Peptide cues in the environment regulate bacterial dormancy

> **NIH NIH R15** · SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $387,866

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Bacterial cells communicate through the language of molecular cues that are released into the
environment and detected by cells in nearby communities. While prevalent in every ecological
niche, pathogenic bacteria may exploit this molecular crosstalk to survive stress conditions,
escape immune detection, and evade the action of antibiotics. This project will investigate how
molecules that are derived from the bacterial cell wall regulate bacterial growth decisions using
the paradigm of bacterial dormancy in a prototypic uropathogenic strain of Escherichia coli. This
research will identify the pharmacophore of the cell wall signal, or cue, elucidate genes that enable
the bacterial response to the signal, and identify bacterial protein targets that engage the signal
to further understand the underlying mechanism of bacterial crosstalk. We propose an innovative,
multifaceted approach to understand this bacterial crosstalk by combining research methods in
synthetic chemistry, bacterial genetics, and ligand-capture proteomics. During the course of this
work, we will train undergraduate students majoring in Chemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology,
and Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Salve Regina University, a primarily
undergraduate institution (PUI), and the University of Rhode Island, a collaborating institution.
This training provides experiential learning objectives for undergraduate students, exposes them
to biologic-based interdisciplinary research, and promotes strong collaboration between faculty at
Salve Regina University, a PUI, and the University of Rhode Island, a research-intensive
institution, thus strengthening the research environment of Salve Regina University.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10874289
- **Project number:** 1R15GM154245-01
- **Recipient organization:** SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Susan Meschwitz
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $387,866
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10874289

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10874289, Peptide cues in the environment regulate bacterial dormancy (1R15GM154245-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10874289. Licensed CC0.

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