Redox Photochemistry in Genomes of Microorganisms

微生物基因组中的氧化还原光化学

• 批准号: 1808475
• 负责人: Cynthia Burrows
• 金额: $ 52.5万
• 依托单位: University of Utah
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-08-01 至 2022-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1808475&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Redox; Photochemistry; Genomes; Microorganisms

The Chemistry of Life Processes Program in the Division of Chemistry is awarding funding to Dr. Cynthia Burrows at the University of Utah. Her research team plans to investigate how the genomes of microorganisms adapt to environmental stress. Many species of plants, algae and bacteria have adapted to live under extreme conditions of heat, salt, drought or intense UV light, all of which place chemical stress on the cell's DNA. Other organisms, such as the coral symbiont zooxanthellae, a close cousin of algae, have not adapted to stress, and rising ocean temperatures are leading to coral 'bleaching' due to loss of their algae, a food source for the coral. Research supported by this grant investigates the hypothesis that sequences of DNA that can fold into a motif termed "G-quadruplex" may help the organism respond to oxidative stress caused by an increase in temperature and increased photosynthesis. Students involved in this work are to learn how the chemistry of the environment influences the chemistry of the cell at the level of the organism's genetic code. In addition, the PI is developing a series of lectures, "Beyond Watson and Crick," that communicate the importance of changes in the DNA to life processes.To address the question of why certain microorganisms, notably algae and thermophilic bacteria, have dense potential G-quadruplex sequences (PQS) in their genomes, a reporter plasmid assay is to be developed in the model algal organism Chlamydomonas. Synthetically altered DNA sequences is to be inserted into promoter sequences of a reporter gene, and gene expression will be monitored as a function of oxidative stress. In addition, the PQS density in Thermus bacteria is to be investigated. The sites of oxidative damage are to be mapped onto the promoter regions and PQS sites to discover correlations between G-quadruplex sequences, regulation of oxidative damage, and adaptive responses to environmental stress. These studies help define the circumstances under which chemically-modified bases in DNA, such as 8-oxoguanine, serve as epigenetic markers.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

化学分部的《生命过程》计划正在向犹他大学的辛西娅·伯罗斯（Cynthia Burrows）博士授予资金。 她的研究小组计划研究微生物的基因组如何适应环境压力。 许多种类的植物，藻类和细菌已经适应在热，盐，干旱或强烈的紫外线的极端条件下生活，所有这些都将化学胁迫放在细胞的DNA上。 其他生物体，例如珊瑚共生动物群，是藻类的亲密表弟，尚未适应压力，海洋温度的升高导致珊瑚“漂白”由于藻类的丧失，藻类是珊瑚的食物来源。 该赠款支持的研究调查了以下假设：DNA的序列可以折叠成一个称为“ G Quadruplex”的基序，这可能有助于该生物响应由于温度升高和光合作用增加而导致的氧化应激。 参与这项工作的学生是了解环境化学如何在生物体遗传密码水平上影响细胞的化学。 此外，PI正在开发一系列的讲座，即“沃森和克里克之外”，这些讲座传达了DNA变化对生命过程的重要性。要解决某些微生物（尤其是藻类和嗜热细菌）为什么具有密集的潜力的问题。 G-四链体序列（PQ）在其基因组中，将在模型藻类有机体衣原体中开发报告基因质粒测定。合成改变的DNA序列应插入报告基因的启动子序列，并将基因表达作为氧化应激的函数监测。 另外，将研究热细菌中的PQS密度。氧化损伤部位应映射到启动子区域和PQS位点，以发现G-四链体序列之间的相关性，氧化损伤的调节以及对环境压力的适应性反应。 这些研究有助于定义在DNA中化学改性基础的情况，例如8-氧气鸟氨酸，用作表观遗传标记。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并且认为值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响评估来获得支持。标准。