Dr. Richard Burgess-

In collaboration with Dr. Burgess’ laboratory (McArdle Cancer Research, UW-Madison), we investigate new families of anti-microbial agents called bio-therapeutics.

Dr. Richard Gourse-

In collaboration with Dr. Gourse’s laboratory (Bacteriology Department, UW-Madison), we have discovered the involvement of Fis protein in the replication of the Escherichia coli chromosome. [Filutowicz, et al. (1992) J. Bacteriol. 174(2):398-407]

Dr. Ross Inman-

In collaboration with Dr. Ross B. Inman’s laboratory (Biochemistry Department, UW-Madison), we have discovered a remarkable change(s) in gamma-ori DNA structure whose appearance requires the DNA bending protein-IHF, the ihf1 site, intact iterons and enhancer sequences. The folding is produced in two, IHF concentration-dependent, steps [Filutowicz and Inman (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266(35):24077-83; Dellis et al. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267(34):24426-32.] In another collaborative project we have discovered that hyperactive pi variants activate a larger fraction of DNA template in a single-round, in vitro replication assay when compared to wt pi [Chen et al. (1998) J. Mol. Biol. 282(4):775-87.]

Dr. Igor Konieczny-

DNA opening is an essential step in the initiation of replication via the Cairns mode of replication. We are investigating this pi-dependent step at gamma-ori and have published the part of these investigations that were carried out in collaboration with Dr. Igor Konieczny’s laboratory at the University of Gdansk, Poland.

Dr. Robert D. Wells-

The frequency of intermolecular recombination between myotonic dystrophy CTG-CAG repeats is investigated by Dr. Robert Wells’ laboratory (Institute of Biosciences and Techology, Texas A&M University, Houston). We have constructed bacterial strains and plasmids to assist in some of those studies. (Pluciennik et al., manuscript in preparation).