Chromosome evolution and genome stability: SeqA, TnsE and Transposon Tn7

本研究将探讨细菌蛋白SeqA在基因组稳定性中的作用。这种重要但鲜为人知的蛋白质似乎参与保护细胞DNA在复制过程中免受有害的重组事件。这里建立的主题可以外推到其他生物体，并可能导致在重要和多样化的细菌系统中基因组操作程序的发展。这项工作还将有助于解释一个庞大而重要的可移动DNA元素家族或可以在DNA中不同位点之间移动的“跳跃”基因是如何利用一种名为TnsE的蛋白质在不同类型的细菌中传播遗传信息的。这项工作还表明，在地球上最远亲的生物中保守的特征，同时突出了允许寄生虫适应特定类型细菌的特征。更广泛的影响：这项研究将在包括国家和区域会议在内的多个场所广泛传播。Tn7是一种重要的工具，用于修改多种细菌的遗传内容，用于基础科学和工业应用。这项工作将继续促进这种努力。除了培养一名研究生外，这项工作还将涉及多名本科生进行有意义的研究经验。

This research will explore the role of the bacterial protein SeqA in genome stability. This important but poorly understood protein appears to be involved in protecting cellular DNA during replication from deleterious recombination events. Themes established here can be extrapolated to other organisms and potentially lead to the development of genome manipulation procedures in important and diverse bacterial systems. This work will also help explain how a large and important family of mobile DNA elements or "jumping" genes that can move between sites in the DNA are capable of disseminating genetic information across vastly different types of bacteria using a protein called TnsE. This work also indicates features that are conserved across the most distantly related organisms on earth while highlighting a feature that allows a parasite to adapt to specific types of bacteria.Broader Impacts: The research will be disseminated widely at multiple venues including national and regional meetings. Tn7 is an important tool for modifying the genetic content of a broad variety of bacteria for basic science and industrial applications. The work will continue to facilitate such efforts. In addition to training a graduate student, the work will also involve multiple undergraduates in meaningful research experiences.