Current research
Our research group aims to answer fundamental questions in bacterial chromosome organization and segregation. Our central hypothesis is that a timely and carefully controlled disentanglement of replicated DNA is essential for chromosome segregation and maintenance. The combined approach of “omics” techniques, genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, and X-ray crystallography have allowed us to tackle key questions in bacterial chromosome organization & segregation.
Going forwards, our group is investigating mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) by plasmids and virus-like agents. We wish to understand mechanistically how HGT contributes to driving the evolution of bacterial genomes and the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity.
To learn more about specific projects, click below:
Other research interests:
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DNA-damage repair
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Chromosome/plasmid organization and segregation in multi-cellular bacteria (Streptomyces) & archaea (Sulfolobus)
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Evolution of protein-DNA binding specificity
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Toxin-antitoxin
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Contact-dependent inhibition (CDI)
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Phage/plasmid defence
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Gene expression regulation
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Bacterial pilus systems
Research in our lab is funded by:
