DNA replication, recombination and repair in Archaea
Fact file
| Duration |
Three to four years full-time |
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| Eligibility |
Self-funded; Home, EU or International Students |
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| Supervisor(s) |
Dr Thorsten Allers
Dr Ed Bolt
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| Application deadline |
No deadline |
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About the project
Archaea are the third domain of life, alongside eukaryotes and bacteria. The machinery for DNA replication, recombination and repair is strikingly similar in archaea and eukaryotes.
We use the halophile Haloferax volcanii as a model organism for archaea. Our laboratory has been pivotal in developing genetic tools for H. volcanii and we have used these to study how DNA replication, repair and recombination underpin genome stability in archaea.
Surprisingly, we have shown that deletion of all replication origins from H. volcanii is possible and leads to the initiation of DNA replication by recombination. This project will focus on the interplay of homologous recombination with DNA replication.
The project will offer an exchange visit to the laboratory of our collaborator Professor Anita Marchfelder at the University of Ulm
Funding notes
This project is available to self-funded students. Home applicants should contact the supervisor to determine the current funding status for this project. EU applicants should visit the Graduate School webpages for information on specific EU scholarships. International applicants should visit our International Research Scholarships page for information regarding fees and funding at the University.
References
- White M. & T. Allers (2018) FEMS Micro Rev 42, 514-26 “DNA repair in the Archaea – an emerging picture”
- Ausiannikava D. & T. Allers(2017) Genes 8, 56 “Diversity of DNA replication in the Archaea”.
- Stachler A., Turgeman-Grott I., Shtifman-Segal E.,Allers T., Marchfelder A. & U. Gophna (2017) Nucleic Acids Res 45, 5208-16 “High tolerance to self-targeting of the genome by the endogenous CRISPR-Cas system in an archaeon”
- Marriott H. & T. Allers (2016) Microbiology Today 43(2), 74-77 “Archaea and the meaning of life”
- Hawkins M., Malla S., Blythe M., Nieduszynski, C.A. & T. Allers (2013) Nature 503, 544-7 “Accelerated growth in the absence of DNA replication origins”
See this project on FindaPhD
DNA replication, recombination and repair in Archaea