Evolution of antibiotic resistance

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

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Linked publications & trials

Abstract

We are currently studying how gene amplifications can contribute to antibiotic resistance. Our research over the last year had two major goals: i) Identify genes and pathways that are important for gene amplifications. We tested a panel of mutants, and identified that the widely conserved recombinases RecA and XerC are important for the formation of gene amplifications. i) Determine genomic factors that alter the frequency and boundaries of gene amplifications. To this end we are determining how amplification frequency is altered at different positions in the genome, and how it depends on repeat sequences present in the genome.