Collaborative Research: Sequencing and Functional Genomics of Halobacterium

该项目的目标是对极端嗜盐菌盐杆菌的基因组进行完整测序，并启动功能基因组研究。嗜盐杆菌NRC-1基因组含有一个稳定的2.0Mbp环状染色体和两个大的不稳定质粒pNRC 100和pNRC 200，分别为191 kb和300 kb。该项目的理由是：（a）盐杆菌是最好的模式微生物系统之一，具有完善的遗传方法，如遗传转化和基因置换和过表达;（B）盐杆菌是主要的生理类型（极端嗜盐）的海洋;（c）盐杆菌具有许多独特和不寻常的生化和细胞特征，包括光驱动质子泵细菌视紫红质，其他视网膜蛋白，和嗜盐酶等; (d)盐杆菌的基因组是嗜盐菌中最小的，并已通过作图和测序得到广泛表征;（e）盐杆菌在生物技术方面具有真正的潜力，例如在具有特殊应用的不寻常特性的生物工程方面（例如用于生物计算机的细菌视紫红质薄膜和用于生物修复的程序化细胞浮选），以及作为生产新型生物产品（如生物可降解塑料和重组蛋白质及酶）的宿主;以及（f）盐杆菌属具有耐盐性，可通过遗传转移到作物。大部分DNA测序工作将在华盛顿大学的胡德实验室进行，而大部分序列和功能基因组学的计算分析将在DasSarma实验室进行。 资源将在两个小组之间共享，DNA序列将向科学界公布，确保一个具有重大长期科学影响的动态项目。

The goal of this project is to sequence the genome of Halobacterium, an extremely halophilic Archaeon, in its entirety and initiate functional genomic studies. The genome of Halobacterium NRC-1 contains a stable 2.0 Mbp circular chromosome and two large unstable plasmids, pNRC100 and pNRC200, 191 kb and 300 kb, respectively. The justification for this project is: (a) Halobacterium represents one of the best model Archaeal systems, with well-developed genetic methodologies such as genetic transformation and gene replacement and overexpression; (b) Halobacterium represents a major physiological type (extreme halophile) of the Archaea; (c) Halobacterium has many unique and unusual biochemical and cellular characteristics, including the light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin, other retinal proteins, and salt-loving enzymes, etc.; (d) Halobacterium has a genome that is the smallest among halophiles and has been extensively characterized by mapping and sequencing; (e) Halobacterium has a genuine potential for biotechnology, for example in bioengineering of unusual characteristics for special applications (such as bacteriorhodopsin films for biological computers and programmed cell flotation for bioremediation), and as a host for productionof novel biological products (such as biodegradable plastics and recombinant proteins and enzymes); and (f) Halobacterium exhibits salt tolerance that may be genetically transferable to crop plants. The majority of the DNA sequencing work will be conducted in the Hood lab at the University of Washington while most of the computational analysis of the sequence and functional genomics will be conducted in the DasSarma laboratory. Resources will be shared between the two groups and the DNA sequence will be released to the scientific community, ensuring a dynamic project with significant long-term scientific impact.