Understanding the mechanism of genetic transformation

摘要 细菌自然转化是基因水平转移的一种重要方式。 一般来说，它有助于细菌的进化，特别是抗生素的传播 抗性和毒力基因。该提案将使用枯草芽孢杆菌作为模型， 解决基本的，基本上保守的机制，使吸收 环境DNA它将解决DNA与细胞表面的结合， 穿过细胞壁和DNA穿过细胞膜的易位。这个计划将 为转化的分子细节提供了广泛的见解，并将使我们更接近 理解DNA摄取机制的长期目标。提出要 研究DNA摄取的能量来源，涉及的蛋白质， 结构及其相互作用作为分子机器的组成部分。这些目标将 利用细胞生物学、遗传学、生物化学和结构生物学的工具进行研究。

Abstract Natural transformation in bacteria is an important mode of horizontal gene transfer. Generally, it contributes to bacterial evolution and specifically to the spread of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. This proposal will use Bacillus subtilis as a model to address the fundamental, largely conserved mechanisms that enable the uptake of environmental DNA. It will address the binding of DNA to the surface of the cell, traversal through the cell wall and translocation of DNA across the cell membrane. This plan will provide broad insights into molecular details of transformation and will bring us closer to the long-term goal of understanding the mechanism of DNA uptake. It is proposed to investigate the energy sources for DNA uptake, the proteins involved, some of their structures and their interactions as components of a molecular machine. These aims will be pursued using the tools of cell biology, genetics, biochemistry and structural biology.