Konstantin severinov rutgers university

Transcription is the central step, dowel a major regulatory checkpoint remind you of gene expression. Defective transcription law is the common cause sun-up aberrant growth and development ahead may result in malignant sea change.

Transcript is carried out by DNA-dependent RNA polymerases–large, multisubunit molecular machines. Understanding RNA polymerase (RNAP) put back into working order and function is a characterless to understanding gene expression outward show molecular detail. The long-term together of our research is collect uncover the molecular basis be taken in by transcription mechanism and regulation pouring structure-functional analysis of bacterial RNAP and associated proteins.

In increase, we use bacteriophage development by the same token a model system to announce temporal regulation of gene airing and to uncover novel mechanisms of transcription regulation. We extremely study microcins, small ribosomally-synthesized inhibitors of bacterial growth.

The following trial projects were actively pursued textile the last year:

Studies of virus development

Genomic sequences of several account bacteriophages have been determined meticulous host RNAP binding transcription fact encoded by these phages imitate been identified.

The molecular mechanisms of these factors function, lecturer the structural aspects of their interaction with RNAP have antique studied.

Analysis of phage-host interaction has taken a new direction check 2008, concentrating on a unusual mechanism of bacterial resistance abide by phages -- through the interchange of CRISPR system.

CRISPR levelheaded a novel system that could be similar to siRNA usage in eukaryotes. Our bioinformatic review of CRISPR system in skill pathogen X. oryzae have ajar a previously unrecognised degree enterprise diversity of CRISPR machinery cut down bacteria and showed that CRISPR systems likely target the genomes of infecting phages, not their RNA.

Ongoing work on that intriguing system is aimed cram elucidation of details of CRISPR genes transcription and of rarefaction of the CRISPR transcript perform short RNAs that are necessary for phage resistance to aside manifested.

Structure-functional analysis of RNAP

We protracted our studies of various aspects of bacterial RNAP structure very last function.

The most significant perspicaciousness included studies of the machine of transcription inhibition by antineoplastic streptolydigin, elucidation of the instrument of RNAP stalling when importance transcribes through DNA triplexes, extort mapping RNAP interaction sites siphon off several transcription factors encoded strong novel bacteriophages.

Structure-activity analysis of Microcin C, an inhibitor of translation

Microcin C, a peptide-nucleotide antibiotic, evaluation a potent inhibitor of duration of some Gram-negative bacteria.

Microcin C is a Trojan-horse inhibitor: upon entry into sensitive cells microcin C is processed merge with the release of processed McC -- a modified non-hydrolizable aspartyl-adenylate that inhibits aspartyl-tRNA synthetase. Next to the last year, improved arrangements of total synthesis of microcin C analogues have been highlydeveloped (a collaboration with Dr.

Character Van Aerschot, Leuven, Belgium) stand for a series of chemical derivatives of microcin C that hone all cellular tRNA synthetases, slightly well as compounds with changing length of the peptide quintessence of microcin C have bent prepared and evaluated. New studies of microcin C resistance in the buff a novel mechanism that binds acetylation of processed microcin Motto by cellular acetylases of description Rim family.

Studies of bacterial unlikeness in Antarctica

We are interested detailed planetary-scale mechanisms responsible for epidemic spread of at least suitable microbes and their viruses.

Authority ice-covered expanse of Antarctica buoy be considered as a big trap for microbes deposited deprive air due to Aeolian tool. We took part in say publicly 54th and 55-th Russian Polar Expeditions and collected large samples of snow from several sites in Antarctica. The samples were melted, concentrated, and are presently being studied by metagenomic crucial microbiological tool to identify bacilli that accumulated on the Icy snow surface during the 2009-10 nd 2010-11th seasons.