# GENETICS OF DNA REPLICATION IN BACTERIA

> **NIH NIH R01** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 1989 · $189,126

## Abstract

DNA replication is a key genetic process in all living organisms.  In
Salmonella typhimurium, this process is catalyzed through the cooperation
of more than 20 proteins.  The long term objective is to define how these
proteins cooperate, with particular reference to direct physical
interactions in complexes.  The goals are to identify which pairs of
proteins interact, and at a more detailed level to identify the individual
determinants within these proteins that are responsible for the
interaction.  By examining DNA replication proteins for interactions in
pairwise fashion, an overall picture of the replication apparatus can be
developed.

In the next period, emphasis will be placed on the following specific
aims:  1. To understand how suppressor mutations allow a functional DNA
polymerase III to be made in cells lacking one of the normal core subunits
of this enzyme, the Epsilon subunit encoded by the dnaQ gene.  2. To
identify and study the gene for the Theta subunit of this same enzyme.  3.
To characterize the interaction of wild type and suppressor dnaB protein
with dnaC protein to determine if the suppressor mutation alters the
affinity of the interaction; and if so, to study new mutations of dnaB
produced at the same site.  4. To explore the potential of monoclonal
antibodies as "surrogate" protein ligands for the isolation of mutations
specifically affected in ligand binding.  5. To study regulatory effects of
dnaA mutations on expression of previously derived suppressor alleles in
the adjacent gene, dnaN.

Different aspects of these studies utilize a variety of techniques,
including, among others:  extragenic suppression analysis to identify
potentially interacting proteins; protein purification and characterization
to assess mechanisms of suppression; molecular cloning of suppressor genes
in phage Lambda to aid in characterization and identification of the gene
product; antibody binding to protein antigens in Lambda plaques to identify
antibody-resistant mutants; and gene fusions to aid in dissecting
regulatory circuits.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3129399
- **Project number:** 5R01AI019942-07
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HJMKEF7EJW69
- **Principal Investigator:** RUSSELL A MAURER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $189,126
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1983-03-01 → 1991-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3129399

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3129399, GENETICS OF DNA REPLICATION IN BACTERIA (5R01AI019942-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3129399. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*