| Adams, Michael | E-mail: adams@bmb.uga.edu | | The hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus (Pf) grows optimally at 100°C by fermenting peptides and sugars. It also reduces elemental sulfur to hydrogen sulfide. From Pf we are purifying and characterizing a range of metal-containing, oxidoreductase-type enzymes and redox proteins that are involved in unusual catabolic pathways. In addition, all ORFs in the Pf genome (1.9 Mb) are being cloned and expressed in an NIH-funded structural genomics initiative with the goal of obtaining 3D structures on all Pf proteins. The function of all Pf ORFs are being assessed using DNA microarrays and proteomic approaches in conjunction with metabolic and physiological analyses. | | Keywords: Functional and structural genomics, metabolism and enzymology of organisms that grow near 100C |
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| Rose, John | E-mail: rose@bcl4.bmb.uga.edu | | X-ray structural biology, the mitochondrial inner membrane space transport system, structure based vaccine and therapeutic design, improved/automated methods for synchrotron SAD data collection and structure determination. | | Keywords: mitochondrial inner membrane transport, structure assisted vaccine and therapeutic design, improved/automated methods for SAD structure determination |
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| Scott, Robert | E-mail: rscott@uga.edu | | Biophysical analysis of metallobiochemical systems using X-ray absorption spectroscopy; systems biology approaches to discovery of transcriptional regulation of microbiological hydrogen production as part of an alternative energy project. | | Keywords: biophysics
systems biology
biohydrogen
alternative energy
proteomics
protein-DNA interaction |
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| Terns, Michael | E-mail: mterns@bmb.uga.edu | Two major research projects in the Terns Lab:
- Telomerase and cancer: We are investigating the regulation of the biogenesis and transport of the telomerase RNP, a key molecule in the processes of aging and cancer. Telomerase maintains telomeres at the ends of chromosomes. Telomerase activity and telomere length are lost with aging, resulting in cell senescence and death. In order to be able to grow indefinitely, nearly all cancer cells re-activate telomerase. Thus telomerase is a promising target for anti-cancer and anti-aging therapies. In cancer cells, we have found that the two essential components of telomerase (telomerase RNA and TERT) travel distinct, cell cycle-regulated pathways within the nucleus that culminate in co-localization at telomeres during S phase for telomere synthesis. We are working to identify the factors responsible for the regulated activity of telomerase in normal and cancer cells.
- Virus defense in prokaryotes: All bacteria (including human pathogens) are subject to attack by viruses and other genome invaders. We are working to delineate a newly-identified RNA-mediated pathway that protects bacteria and archaea from viruses and other invaders. The pathway appears to parallel the eukaryotic RNAi pathway and is referred to as "prokaryotic RNAi". This is a very exciting new research area with significant biomedical and biotechnological importance.
| | Keywords: non-coding RNAs, RNA-protein complexes, regulation of telomerase, cancer, RNAi, virus defense |
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