The Mechanics of Genome Ejection in Bacterial Viruses

细菌病毒基因组喷射的机制

• 批准号: 0758343
• 负责人: Rob Phillips
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: California Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-05-01 至 2011-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0758343&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Mechanics; Genome; Ejection; Bacterial; Viruses

The goal of this work is to examine the mechanical processes that attend the packaging and ejection of genomic DNA in viruses. The research links theoretical models of the ejection process with single-molecule experiments aimed at testing the predictions of the theory. The theoretical models are based upon a treatment of the energetic cost to bend the DNA molecule in conjunction with the energy of interaction between the charges along the double-stranded DNA helix. Until now, these mechanical measurements have only been carried out in in vitro studies in which the viruses are taken out of their natural context. These earlier studies will be complemented by experiments aimed at watching individual infection events as viruses deliver their genomic DNA into bacteria.This work merges biological and mechanical perspectives to develop quantitative understanding of the life cycles of bacterial viruses. Further, this work should be seen as a specific case study in a broader analysis of the physical principles underlying how both viruses and cells manage their genomes. An extensive outreach effort carried out at Caltech and known as physical biology bootcamp will use the single-molecule experiments in intensive laboratory courses held every summer. These courses bring together professors, postdocs, grad students and undergrads in an informal but intense atmosphere over a ten-day period.

这项工作的目标是研究参与病毒中基因组DNA的包装和排出的机械过程。 这项研究将喷射过程的理论模型与旨在测试理论预测的单分子实验联系起来。 理论模型是基于能量成本的治疗弯曲的DNA分子与能量之间的相互作用的电荷沿着双链DNA螺旋。 到目前为止，这些机械测量仅在体外研究中进行，其中病毒被从其自然环境中取出。 这些早期的研究将通过旨在观察病毒将其基因组DNA传递到细菌中的个体感染事件的实验来补充。这项工作融合了生物学和机械学的观点，以定量了解细菌病毒的生命周期。 此外，这项工作应该被视为一个具体的案例研究，在更广泛的分析物理原理的基础上，病毒和细胞如何管理他们的基因组。 在加州理工学院进行的一项广泛的推广工作，被称为物理生物学训练营，将在每年夏天举行的强化实验室课程中使用单分子实验。 这些课程将教授，博士后，格拉德生和本科生聚集在一起，在一个非正式的，但在十天内激烈的气氛。