The checkpoint role of budding yeast dbf4/cdc7

我的研究小组正在使用萌芽酵母来研究细胞分裂。我们目前的研究重点是识别和表征控制DNA复制(遗传物质的复制)启动的蛋白质因素。芽殖酵母已被证明是这类研究的一个非常有用的生物，因为它是少数几个已经很好地描述了DNA复制起点(复制起点)的生物之一。这有助于识别与复制起始点相关的众多蛋白质因子。DBF4和CDC7是两种这样的蛋白质，它们共同作用来触发复制。除了在DNA复制中的作用外，Dbf4和CDC7对于细胞的“检查点”功能也很重要，当DNA受损时，检查点功能可以防止DNA复制。我实验室的研究集中在更好地理解这些蛋白质如何协同工作，以实现它们在细胞分裂中的关键作用。这些研究的结果将帮助我们更好地确定包括人类在内的生物体是如何生长和发育的，并帮助我们了解暴露在导致DNA损伤的环境污染物中的后果。

My research group is using budding yeast in studies of cell division. We are currently focusing our investigations on identifying and characterizing protein factors that control the initiation of DNA replication (duplication of the genetic material). Budding yeast has proven to be a very useful organism for such studies because it is one of the few organisms for which the starting points for DNA replication (origins of replication) have been well characterized. This has facilitated the identification of numerous protein factors that associate with replication origins. Dbf4 and Cdc7 are two such proteins which work together to trigger replication. In addition to their function in DNA replication, Dbf4 and Cdc7 are important for cellular 'checkpoint' functions, which prevent duplication of DNA when it has been damaged. Research in my lab is centered on a better understanding of the way these proteins work together to carry out their essential roles in cell division. The results of these studies will help us better determine how organisms, including humans, grow and develop, as well us help us understand the consequences of exposure to environmental pollutants that cause DNA damage.