The Molecular Evolution of Prokaryotic DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases: Research Fellowship in Marine Biotechnology

依赖于DNA的RNA聚合酶是一种多亚单位酶，对大多数生物的存在至关重要，而且起源于古代。这些特性使其成为分子计时器的理想候选者，既可以证实16S rRNA数据，也可以扩展进化多样性的分析。在这项奖学金研究中，Palenik博士将使用鱼腥藻和大肠杆菌聚合酶开发的抗体和寡核苷酸引物来研究“较老的”真细菌(16S rRNA估计)的聚合酶亚基结构和序列，如绿藻、各种蓝藻、原叶绿体和叶绿体。对获得的序列数据的分析将为光合作用有机体的进化发展提供新的见解。这项工作还可能导致使用RNA聚合酶序列来分析水环境中浮游植物的物种多样性。

DNA-dependent RNA polymerase is a multi-subunit enzyme critical to the existence of most organisms and of ancient origin. These properties make it an ideal candidate for a molecular chronometer, both to corroborate 16S rRNA data, and to extend the analysis of evolutionary diversification. n this fellowship research, Dr. Palenik will use antibodies to and oligonucleotide primers developed from Anabaena and E. coli polymerases to study the polymerase subunit structure and sequence of "older" eubacteria (16S rRNA estimate) such as Chloroflexus, and various cyanobacteria, prochlorophytes, and chloroplasts. Analysis of the sequence data obtained will provide new insights into the evolutionary development of photosynthetic organisms. The work will also likely result in the use of RNA polymerase sequences to analyze phytoplankton species diversity in aquatic environments.