Regulation of gene expression and metabolism in bacteria

Our work is aimed at identifying and characterizing the global regulatory networks that allow bacteria to modulate the expression of their genes in response to physiological and environmental signals, thereby helping to coordinate the metabolism of the cell. We seek to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these regulatory processes. Efforts are mainly focused on the effect that these regulatory networks exert on the expression of a number of metabolic pathways that allow the bacterium Pseudomonas putida to degrade diverse hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds, using them as a carbon source. Understanding these regulatory networks helps explaining how bacteria behave in their natural habitats and allows optimizing diverse biotechnological processes such as bioremediation or biotransformation strategies.