Analysis of DNA Sequence Recognition by Enzymes

总体目标是了解DNA结合蛋白识别序列的结构基础。这些研究主要集中在细菌的第二类限制性内切酶修饰系统，特别是以前从变形杆菌中克隆的PVU II系统。四种识别相同DNA序列的蛋白质将被鉴定和比较，其中包括Pvu II蛋白质。这种比较既是结构上的，也是功能上的，旨在表明识别共同碱基序列的功能相关蛋白质显示结构同源性的程度。蛋白质对特定DNA序列的识别对许多细胞过程至关重要，如果不了解这种识别的基础，就不可能对细胞生理学有成熟的理解。这些过程包括RNA聚合酶的启动子选择、阻遏子、激活子的作用、增强子的调节、基因重组和转座以及靶向DNA修复。布鲁门撒尔博士受过良好的训练，能够胜任本文所述的工作。

The overall goal is to understand the structural basis of sequence recognition by DNA binding proteins. These studies have centered on the type II restriction-modification systems of bacteria, and in particular on the Pvu II system that was previously cloned from Proteus vulgaris. Four proteins that recognize the same DNA sequence which includes the Pvu II proteins will be characterized and compared. This comparison will be both structural and functional, and is intended to indicate the extent to which functionally-related proteins recognizing a common base sequences show structural homologies. The recognition of specific DNA sequences by proteins is so crucial to so many cellular processes that no mature understanding of cell physiology will be possible without understanding the basis of this recognition. These processes include promoter selection by RNA polymerases, the action of repressors, activators, enhancer-modulation, genetic recombination and transposition, and targeted DNA repair. Dr. Blumenthal is well trained for the work described here.