Spirochetes are a distinct group of bacteria that look like thin coiled tubes and move like a corkscrew. While some spirochetes are harmless mud-dwelling species, pathogenic spirochetes are highly invasive, can penetrate human tissues, and cause severe diseases such as borreliosis (Lyme disease), syphilis, and leptospirosis. Our research aims to elucidate how the spirochetal protein machinery responsible for gene expression navigates these extended capillary-like cells, how it is regulated by accessory proteins called transcription factors, and how it surveys the genome to recruit repair proteins upon detecting DNA damage. Because spirochetes are so structurally and biologically unusual, these molecular mechanisms are likely to differ fundamentally from those of other bacteria. Uncovering these unique mechanisms will deepen our understanding of microbial life and pave the way for the development of more effective, targeted treatments of spirochetal infections.

2026

2030