GENETIC ORGANIZATION OF TREPONEMA DENTICOLA

描述（改编自研究者摘要）：本项目将 确定齿垢密螺旋体染色体的DNA序列， 人类重要口腔病原体，与牙周炎有关。 牙周 感染影响了很大一部分人口， 医疗费用。 此外，这种细菌是为数不多的螺旋体之一， 可以在动物体外培养，提供一个有吸引力的系统， 来研究这些生物。 最近的定点突变和基因 转移应用于T.齿垢，使其成为一种有机体的选择。 这种方法应允许牙周感染的作用和机制 由T.详细定义的牙齿。 一个基因组DNA序列， 克隆将为这项研究提供巨大的资源。 霸王齿垢密 基因组是一个3 Mb的环状染色体。 确定它的DNA序列是 此分析的下一个逻辑步骤。 随着DNA的最新发展 测序技术，以及这些进展在 确定其他细菌基因组的序列，T.齿垢密 基因组计划现在是可行的。 基因组的完整DNA序列将通过测序完成 24,000个质粒克隆的插入片段的末端。 此外，600名 大的插入λ和BAC克隆将被测序，以提供额外的 关闭资源。 这不仅会产生基因组序列， 还将提供一组跨越基因组的克隆图谱。 相似性 T.在序列数据库中的齿垢序列和已知基因， 通过计算机搜索识别（例如，使用BLAST程序）。 这 这种方法可以立即回答一些重要问题，例如 T.由于序列相似性， 在这些蛋白质中很保守。 此外，具有 将鉴定与已知毒力因子的序列相似性。 这些 可以很容易地作为进一步研究的目标，因为相关的克隆将 available. 还将为该项目开发一个基因组数据库， 将在互联网上提供，使研究人员能够评估大的 大量关于序列、功能、克隆和其他物理 将生成的地图特征。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Investigator's Abstract): This project will determine the DNA sequence of the chromosome of Treponema denticola, an important oral pathogen of man, associated with periodontitis. Periodontal infection affects a large segment of the population resulting in significant health costs. In addition, this bacterium is one of the few spirochetes that can be cultured outside of animals, providing an attractive system in which to study these organisms. Recently targeted mutagenesis and gene transfer have been applied to T. denticola, making it an organism of choice. This approach should allow the role and mechanisms of periodontal infection by T. denticola to be defined in detail. A genomic DNA sequence and mapped clones would provide a tremendous resource for this study. The T. denticola genome is a 3 Mb circular chromosome. Determining its DNA sequence is the next logical step in this analysis. With the recent developments in DNA sequencing technology, and the application of these advances to determination of the sequence of other bacterial genomes, a T. denticola genome project is now feasible. The complete DNA sequence of the genome will be accomplished by sequencing the ends of inserts in 24,000 plasmid clones. In addition, the ends of 600 large insert lambda and BAC clones will be sequenced to provide additional resources for closure. This will not only produce the genomic sequence, but also will provide a mapped set of clones spanning the genome. Similarities between T. denticola sequences and known genes in sequence databases will be identified by computer searches (e.g., using the BLAST program). This approach gives immediate answers to a number of important questions such as the metabolic capabilities of T. denticola, since sequence similarities are well conserved among these proteins. In addition, functions that have sequence similarity to known virulence factors will be identified. These can be readily targeted for further study since the relevant clones will be available. A genome database will also be developed for this project, which will be available on the Internet allowing researchers to assess the large amount of information on sequences, functions, clones, and other physical map features that will be generated.