UW-Madison Dept of Bacteriology

Research Description

Understanding the replication control of bacterial plasmids is an endeavor of fundamental importance both in terms of basic biological science and practical application. Recognition of the replication origin (ori) by initiator protein is a recurring theme for the regulated initiation of DNA replication in diverse biological systems. The objective of the work carried out in our laboratory is to understand the initiation process and its regulation. Our model system is the gamma-ori of the antibiotic-resistance plasmid R6K. Control of gamma-ori initiation is determined both by plasmid-encoded and host-encoded factors.