# PHYSIOLOGY OF BACTERIAL CONJUGATION AND RECOMBINATION

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · 1988 · $313,567

## Abstract

Genetic recombination of homologous DNA strands occurs following
conjugation in E. coli.  Such recombination seems to proceed by a set of
pathways called RecBC, RecE and RecF after the genes whose products are
thought to catalyze important steps.  All the pathways use recA which
catalyzes the central step in recombination (synpasis) and also can
catalyze lengthening, possibly therefore stabilizing, the synaptic
contact.  A possible relationship between recF and recA products has been
uncovered and part of this proposal is to study mutations in recA to see
how they affect the activities of recA protein.  Most of the proposal
concerns the products of and the regulation of recE, recF and recJ, a new
gene just recently discovered to be necessary for RecE and RecF pathways.
Genetic molecular biological and enzymological methods will be employed to
determine the role of these gene products in homologous recombination.  The
search for other genes of the RecE and RecF pathways is underway.  Since
homologous recombination is important in eukaryotes as well as prokaryotes
exploration of the possible enzymatic identity of this process in such
different organisms has begun.  Not only is homologous recombination
important in evolution of infectious bacteria, it is also involved in
repair or circumvention of damage to DNA.  Some of its enzymes are also
involved in mutagenesis.  Thus, study of this process may uncover
information on DNA metabolism helpful in understanding diseases such as
xeroderma pigmentosum, Fanconi's anemia and others which have been linked
to abnormal repair processes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3124237
- **Project number:** 5R01AI005371-26
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** GS3YEVSS12N6
- **Principal Investigator:** ALVIN J CLARK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $313,567
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1979-01-01 → 1988-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3124237

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3124237, PHYSIOLOGY OF BACTERIAL CONJUGATION AND RECOMBINATION (5R01AI005371-26). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3124237. Licensed CC0.

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