SGER: Transfer of DNA from Bacteria to Mammalian Cells

已经证明了通过接合从细菌到植物和从细菌到酵母的Salyers DNA转移，但是还没有报道细菌DNA到哺乳动物细胞的转移。缺乏DNA从细菌转移到哺乳动物细胞的证据可能是由于未能以正确的方式寻找此类事件，而不是由于自然界中不存在此类事件。 目前正在进行第一次系统性的尝试，以确定细菌是否可以在实验室条件下将DNA转移到哺乳动物细胞中。 由于这是一个高风险项目，该项目侧重于一个单一的可实现的目标，其实现将决定在这一领域进一步工作的可行性。 具体地，正在构建可以在哺乳动物细胞以及细菌中复制的穿梭质粒，并且正在测试细菌的宽宿主范围接合元件将穿梭质粒移动到哺乳动物细胞的能力。 这项探索性研究的小额赠款利用了这位研究人员的独特资格，以测试细菌细胞将基因转移到动物细胞的可能能力。 如果这种转移得到证实，将对动物的遗传研究产生重要影响，无论是从进化的角度来看，还是作为动物细胞遗传操作的新技术 *

9505898 Salyers DNA transfer by conjugation from bacteria to plants and from bacteria to yeast has been demonstrated, but transfer of bacterial DNA to mammalian cells has not been reported. The lack of evidence for DNA transfer from bacteria to mammalian cells is probably due to the failure to look for such events in the right way rather than to the absence of such events in nature. The first systematic attempt to determine whether bacteria can transfer DNA to mammalian cells under laboratory conditions is being undertaken. Since this is a high risk project, the project is focused on a single achievable goal, whose accomplishment will determine the feasibility of further work in this area. Specifically, shuttle plasmids that can replicate in mammalian cells as well as in bacteria are being constructed, and broad host range conjugal elements of bacteria are being tested for the ability to mobilize the shuttle plasmids to mammalian cells. %%% This Small Grant for Exploratory Research takes advantage of the unique qualifications of this researcher to test for the possible ability of bacterial cells to transfer genes to animal cells. If such transfer is demonstrated, it would have important implications for genetic studies of animals, both from an evolutionary point of view and as a new technique for the genetic manipulation of animal cells ***