Virus-mediated Gene Transfer

这项研究计划旨在了解病毒在细胞间遗传物质移动中所起的作用。这种基因交换具有重要的后果，因为这是细菌改变其基因构成的主要机制。这对地球上生命的进化有着重大的意义，但在特定情况下也是如此，例如人类病原体开发出新的毒力特性。为了研究病毒在细胞间的DNA移动，我们研究了一个特定的模型系统--胶囊红杆菌的基因转移代理(GTA)。这一模型适用于许多基本的分子遗传学技术，促进了这一研究，使其成为一个合适的微生物学研究系统。这项研究的短期目标是描述一个类似病毒的基因转移系统是如何发挥作用的，并评估该系统和相关系统在自然环境中的流行度。了解这一GTA如何发挥作用是确定GTA介导的基因转移在细胞间DNA运动范围内的重要性的重要和现实的一步，这是本研究的长期目标。这项研究使用了微生物学、遗传学、生物化学和生物信息学领域的现代技术。从这一特定系统的研究中获得的知识属于细菌遗传学的一般范畴，但这项研究的最终目的是解决病毒在基因流动中更广泛的全球参与问题。这项研究具有原创性和创新性，将有助于我们对微生物遗传学、多样性和进化的理解，从而产生影响。它还将通过培训学生和科学家使加拿大受益，这些学生和科学家随后可以将他们的培训用于健康科学、工业或学术界的职业生涯。

This research program is aimed at understanding the role that viruses play in the movement of genetic material between cells. This genetic exchange has significant consequences because it is a major mechanism by which bacteria change their genetic makeup. This has big picture implications for evolution of life on earth, but also in specific cases such as development of novel virulence properties by human pathogens. To study the movement of DNA between cells by viruses, we study a specific model system, the Gene Transfer Agent (GTA) of Rhodobacter capsulatus. This model is amenable to many essential molecular genetic techniques, facilitating this research and making it a suitable microbiological study system. The short-term objectives of this research are to characterize how one virus-like gene transfer system functions, and to assess the prevalence of this and related systems in natural environments. Understanding how this one GTA functions is an important and realistic step towards determining the importance of GTA- mediated gene transfer within the scope of DNA movements between cells, which is the long-term goal of this research. This research uses modern techniques in the areas of microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, and bioinformatics. The knowledge gained from the study of this specific system falls within the general category of bacterial genetics, but the research aims to ultimately address the larger global involvement of viruses in gene flow. This research is original and innovative and will have impact by contributing to advances in our understanding of microbial genetics, diversity and evolution. It will also benefit Canada through the training of students and scientists who can then use their training for careers in health sciences, industry, or academia.