Structure and Specificity of Restriction-Modification (R-M) Systems

项目总结/摘要 这个应用程序是一个多样性补充培训和支持一个有才华的博士生，先生的要求。 Richard Quintana-Feliciano，补充我们的母基金（NIGMS R35-GM 131780），题为“结构和 限制修饰（R-M）系统的特异性。作为第一代西班牙裔学生， 从一个低的社会经济地位，理查德一直努力在他的学术准备的每一步脱颖而出， 并表现出从根本上为父母补助金的目标做出贡献的能力和动力。的 该基金的主题是研究细菌先天免疫系统中的R-M系统 和古细菌。在R-M领域中的一个新范例是孤儿和R-M甲基转移酶的共同选择， 细菌的表观基因组调控的基因，往往与毒力因子。理查德 建议研究来自新洋葱B的DNA甲基转移酶（BCAM 09902和BCAL 3494），其调节 细菌的生物膜形成或运动性，作为母体授权的延伸。研究培训是 旨在把他带到一个阶段，在那里他可以把一个问题从婴儿期带到原子晶体结构， 对热力学和动力学的理解。培训计划还包括 重要内容，包括具体课程和指导阅读，参加研讨会和会议， 还有一个咨询委员会来监督和指导他的工作进展。对这一全面的期望 培养计划是，他将能够成功地捍卫一个优秀的博士论文，发表论文在一个顶级的 一级期刊，并为他职业生涯的下一阶段写一份博士后奖学金申请， 成为独立的学术研究者。

Project Summary/Abstract This application is a request for a Diversity Supplement to train and support a talented PhD student, Mr. Richard Quintana-Feliciano, to complement our parent grant (NIGMS R35-GM131780), titled “Structure and specificity of restriction-modification (R-M) systems”. As a Hispanic first-generation student, and coming from a low socioeconomic status, Richard has strived to excel at every step of his academic preparation, and has shown the ability and motivation to contribute fundamentally to the goals of the parent grant. The theme of the parent grant is the study of R-M systems that comprise the innate immune system in bacteria and archaea. A new paradigm in the in R-M field is the co-option of orphan and R-M methyltransferases in bacteria for epigenomic regulation of genes that are often associated with virulence factors. Richard proposes to study DNA methyltransferases (BCAM09902 and BCAL3494) from B.cenocepacia that regulate the bacterium’s biofilm formation or motility, as an extension of the parent grant. The research training is designed to bring him to a stage where he can take a problem from its infancy to an atomic crystal structure, with an understanding of the underlying thermodynamics and kinetics. The training plan has additional important elements, including specific courses and directed reading, participation in seminars and meetings, and an advisory committee to monitor and guide his progress. The expectation from this comprehensive training plan is that he will be able to successfully defend an outstanding PhD thesis, publish papers in a top tier journal(s), and also write a postdoctoral fellowship application for the next stage of his career in developing as an independent academic investigator.