Huajie Cheng

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Antibiotic-Induced Bacterial Morphological Plasticity and Cell Wall Synthesis and Remodelling: A Cross-Species Quantitative Study Using HADA Labelling.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between bacterial morphological plasticity (BMP) and cell wall synthesis and remodelling under antibiotic stress. It emphasises the effects of different antibiotics on bacterial growth, morphology, and the spatial incorporation patterns of peptidoglycan (PG). The research examines, under antibiotic stress, the morphological changes associated with cell wall synthesis and remodelling, and the roles of the relevant regulatory proteins in this process.

The research will be conducted in phases. Firstly, different bacterial species will be selected and subjected to experiments under various antibiotics and at different concentrations. Live cell time-lapse microscopy and quantitative image analysis will be employed to measure parameters such as cell length, width, curvature, aspect ratio, and surface-area-to-volume ratio (SA/V), in order to compare morphological responses under different conditions.

Subsequently, fluorescent D-amino acid HADA labelling will be used to visualise the spatial distribution of peptidoglycan incorporation and remodelling-related activity. The relationship between morphological changes and cell wall activity will be analysed. The research will also explore the potential roles of proteins, such as MreB, FtsZ, and penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), in cell wall synthesis and morphological maintenance.

Finally, statistical analysis and mathematical modelling will be integrated to explore differences in morphological responses across different antibiotics and bacterial species. The research will assess the dynamic association between cell wall activity and morphological changes. This study is expected to deepen the understanding of antibiotic-induced BMP and its underlying mechanisms. Thus, it provides a theoretical basis for further research on antibiotic tolerance and bacterial survival

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