# Characterization and disruption of bacterial microcompartment shells from human pathogens

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIF-LAWRENC BERKELEY LAB · 2020 · $469,091

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract: Many pathogenic bacteria utilize protein-based nanoreactors called bacterial
microcompartments to metabolize diverse nutritional sources. This helps pathogenic organisms thrive in
human tissues. The bacterial microcompartment is a specialized organelle composed of enzymes surrounded
by a protein shell. To function, compounds to be broken down within the bacterial microcompartment must
cross the shell and, likewise, the breakdown products must egress the compartments. The goal of the
proposed research is to study and disrupt the protein-protein interactions essential for shell integrity. In parallel,
we will characterize the permeability properties of BMC shells, and screen for compounds that interfere with
flux across the shells. Collectively these data will provide new knowledge about the structural basis of shell
function and provide the foundation for producing therapeutics that disrupt shell assembly and permeability.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9850079
- **Project number:** 5R01AI114975-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIF-LAWRENC BERKELEY LAB
- **Principal Investigator:** Cheryl A Kerfeld
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $469,091
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2015-01-01 → 2022-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9850079

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9850079, Characterization and disruption of bacterial microcompartment shells from human pathogens (5R01AI114975-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9850079. Licensed CC0.

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