The Mechanics of Genome Ejection in Bacterial Viruses

这项工作的目的是检查机械过程，参加包装和喷射的基因组DNA的病毒。该研究将抛射过程的理论模型与旨在验证理论预测的单分子实验联系起来。理论模型是基于结合双链DNA螺旋上电荷之间相互作用的能量来处理弯曲DNA分子的能量成本。到目前为止，这些机械测量只在体外研究中进行，在这些研究中，病毒被从自然环境中取出。这些早期的研究将由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力学的观点，以发展对细菌病毒生命周期的定量理解。此外，这项工作应被视为对病毒和细胞如何管理其基因组的物理原理进行更广泛分析的一个具体案例研究。加州理工学院开展了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课程中使用单分子实验。这些课程将教授、博士后、研究生和本科生聚集在一个非正式但紧张的氛围中，为期10天。

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.