Geometric requirements for gene activation

控制对DNA中包含的信息的访问在生物的发育和适应中是至关重要的。在遗传信息流(基因表达)中执行早期步骤的设备是小分子机器，通常受到许多线索的高度调控。我们计划在一个分子机器的水平上研究它如何将细胞的能量货币的使用转化为有用的输出。以此类推，我们想知道一个多缸发动机是否需要使用所有的燃烧缸，它是否可以更少地运行，是否都连接到车轮上。在这样做的过程中，我们将揭示我们的分子机器的设计和操作原理，提供有关我们如何修改和开发其特性的重要信息，以管理有害细菌、创建途径特定的抑制剂和制造新的分子设备。我们将研究的装置类型是在最简单的有机体(细菌)和最复杂的生物体(人类、植物)中发现的。

Controlling access to the information contained in DNA is critical in the development and adaptation of living organisms. The devices that carry out early steps in genetic information flow (gene expression) are small molecular machines often highly regulated by a number of cues. We plan to study one molecular machine at the level of how its use of the energy currency of the cell is converted to a useful output. By analogy, we want to know if a multi-cylinder engine needs to use all its combustion cylinders, can it run on less, and do all connect to the wheels or not. In so doing, we will uncover the design and operating principles of our molecular machine, providing important information about how we might modify and exploit its properties for managing harmful bacteria, creating pathway specific inhibitors and making new molecular devices. The type of device we will study is found in the simplest organisms (bacteria) and amongst the most complex (humans, plants).