Microbial Genetics and Biochemistry Section
myarmo@helix.nih.gov
Michael
Yarmolinsky's group studies mechanisms by which copies of a stably
inherited genetic element are distributed to daughter cells. P1 plasmid
prophage and derivatives of it have been chosen for analysis because they
combine simplicity with fidelity of inheritance. Moreover, P1 serves an
exemplar of a large class of plasmids of medical and economic importance.
Topics of current research include: active partition of plasmids to daughter
cells; plasmid-encoded functions that program the death of cells cured
of plasmid (addicting the host to the continued presence of the plasmid)
and organizational and functional relationships among genes of host and
plasmid provenance.
Michael
Lichten's group studies meiosis and meiotic recombination, using the
yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism. The group's
current focus is on the impact that chromatin, chromosome and nuclear structure
have on the events that occur during meiotic recombination. Topics of current
study include 1) the molecular mechanism of meiotic recombination, 2) the
role of recombination in meiosis, 3) factors that determine where and when
meiotic recombination occurs.
Dhruba
Chattoraj's group studies mechanisms of initiation of DNA replication
in bacterial plasmids and how the replication is coordinated with the cell
cycle. Current studies include: 1) the DNA-protein interactions involved
in initiation, 2) chaperone-mediated activation of initiator proteins and
3) interplay of transcription and DNA replication.
Prepared by Zoraida S. villadiego,
Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes
of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892. Last updated: June 18, 2001.