Date Approved

2-25-2026

Embargo Period

2-25-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. Complex Biological Systems

Department

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

College

College of Science & Mathematics

Advisor

Jason E. Heindl, Ph.D.

Committee Member 1

Matthew Farber, Ph.D.

Committee Member 2

Claude Krummenacher, Ph.D.

Committee Member 3

Luca Sardo, Ph.D.

Committee Member 4

Bela Peethambaran, Ph.D.

Abstract

Two-component systems (TCS) are widespread signal transduction pathways that enable bacteria to sense and respond to environmental changes with precision. TCS are fundamentally important to prokaryotes because they provide a rapid and efficient means of converting environmental stimuli into coordinated cellular responses. Unlike eukaryotes, which rely on multilayered signaling cascades and compartmentalized organelles, bacteria must interpret and react to changing conditions directly at the cell envelope. TCS allow prokaryotes to detect shifts in nutrients, osmolarity, pH, redox status, host-derived antimicrobials or competing microbes. This forces an immediate adjustment in gene expression programs to promote survival. Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a model organism for the study of natural genetic engineering and horizontal gene transfer, relies heavily on two-component regulatory systems. As such, upon discovery of a novel TCS: FeuP-FeuQ, in Agrobacterium tumefaciens, we hypothesized that this system plays a role in the regulation of cellular development. Data presented in this work suggest that FeuP-FeuQ functions as a regulatory module that links envelope or redox sensing to the coordinated control of surface attachment, motility and stress adaptation in A. tumefaciens.

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