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Genetic fidelity and genome stability in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Mao, Dominic M.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1342103504

Abstract Details

2012, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Biological Sciences.
Hyperthermophilic archaea grow optimally at temperatures that accelerate DNA damage which raises important questions about how these organisms maintain genetic fidelity and genome stability. Archaea in general have reshaped our understanding of the different adaptations of cellular life and their uniqueness justifies their classification into a separate domain of life. The aim of the thesis research presented in this document was to investigate genetic fidelity and genome stability in hyperthermophilic archaea. The approach involved developing genetic assays based on conventional bacterial and eukaryal model systems as well as novel approaches to probe fundamental mechanisms of genome stability at the molecular level. An important component of genetic fidelity, DNA mismatch repair, was investigated in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Sulfolobus acidocaldarius was found to repair mismatches formed during homologous recombination (HR), which provides the first in vivo evidence for mismatch repair in hyperthermophilic archaea. However, the events seen in S. acidocaldarius were highly localized, involving individual or short patches of mismatches seen within long tracts of mismatched DNAs, and thus differed from that resulting from conventional mismatch repair. This process contributed to the unique properties of HR in S. acidocaldarius compared to known bacterial and eukaryotic counterparts. Evidence for genome stability and genetic fidelity in S. acidocaldarius was obtained by sequencing and comparing whole genomes of three natural isolates from local populations separated by large distances (~8200 km). Only 40 polymorphisms were found across all three strains, which suggest a combination of efficient global dispersal and (novel) genetic mechanisms that limit replication errors and chromosomal rearrangements. DNA exchange via conjugation between S. acidocaldarius cells can contribute to this process. Preliminary studies of the size(s) of DNA fragment(s) transferred and direction of transfer show transfer capability of at least 122kb and provide insights into the processing of DNA by the recipient cell following transfer.
Dennis Grogan, PhD (Committee Chair)
Edward Merino, PhD (Committee Member)
Brian Kinkle, PhD (Committee Member)
Charlotte Paquin, PhD (Committee Member)
Katherine Tepperman-Elder, PhD (Committee Member)
97 p.
Microbiology
Hyperthermophilic archaea; DNA repair; Mismatch repair; Genome stability and fidelity; Sulfolobus acidocaldarius; ;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Mao, D. M. (2012). Genetic fidelity and genome stability in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1342103504

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Mao, Dominic. Genetic fidelity and genome stability in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. 2012. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1342103504.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Mao, Dominic. "Genetic fidelity and genome stability in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1342103504

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1342103504
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© 2012, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.