This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Microbial Biology for FY2002. The fellowship supports training and research on the basic biology of protozoan, microalgal, fungal, archaeal, bacterial and viral species that are not generally considered to be model organisms. Further, it provides opportunities for a recent doctoral recipients to obtain additional training in microbial biology, to gain research experience under the sponsorship of established scientists, and to broaden his/her scientific horizons beyond the research experiences during the undergraduate and graduate training. These fellowships are further designed to assist new scientists to direct their research efforts across traditional disciplinary lines and to avail themselves of unique research resources, sites, and facilities, including foreign locations.
The research and training plan is entitled "Investigating the Role of Cell-to-Cell Communication by the Endophytic Bacterium Xylella fastidiosa in the Colonization of Grapevines." Bacterial cells can communicate using signaling molecules, allowing them to monitor population size and to coordinate behavior as a group. Xylella fastidiosa colonizes the xylem vessels of plants, causing blockage and water-stress symptoms in some hosts. The role of cell-cell signaling and community behavior in successful colonization of the xylem is being investigated.
