BERICHT OP DE WEBSITE VAN DE UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO - DUNEDIN
Restriction of gene transfer in pathogenic bacteria by a novel CRISPR-Cas system
Dr Raymond Staals (Microbiology & Immunology) Fast-Start $300,000
CRISPR-Cas is a prokaryotic adaptive immune system that restricts horizontal transfer of foreign genetic elements which carry important genetic traits, such as antibiotic resistance and virulence. The three classical CRISPR-Cas systems have been studied extensively over the last few years, and this has led to a revolution in genome editing. Recently, bioinformatic analyses identified a fourth CRISPR-Cas system (Type IV) in several pathogenic bacteria. No experimental information is available about these systems. I will characterise the structural and enzymatic properties of Type IV CRISPR-Cas to address key fundamental questions about this system and its role in controlling horizontal gene transfer.
Klaar voor vertrek in Düsseldorf. Eerst naar Heidelberg (congres) en dan terug naar Nieuw Zeeland |
Dr Raymond Staals awarded Marsden Fast-Start Grant
Congratulations to Dr Raymond Staals, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Fineran Lab, who has been awarded a Fast-Start Grant of $300,000 in the 2015 Marsden Funding round.
This year, more than $11.7M in new government funding has been awarded to University of Otago researchers to undertake 20 world-class research projects pushing the boundaries of knowledge in their fields.
Raymond's project is entitled Restriction of gene transfer in pathogenic bacteria by a novel CRISPR-Cas system.
Project summary:
CRISPR-Cas is a prokaryotic adaptive immune system that restricts horizontal transfer of foreign genetic elements which carry important genetic traits, such as antibiotic resistance and virulence. The three classical CRISPR-Cas systems have been studied extensively over the last few years, and this has led to a revolution in genome editing. Recently, bioinformatic analyses identified a fourth CRISPR-Cas system (Type IV) in several pathogenic bacteria. No experimental information is available about these systems. I will characterise the structural and enzymatic properties of Type IV CRISPR-Cas to address key fundamental questions about this system and its role in controlling horizontal gene transfer.