Dwight L. Anderson, Ph.D.

Professor

Departments of Microbiology and Diagnostic/Biological Sciences

University of Minnesota, 1961, Ph.D.

dlander@umn.edu

612-624-7989 office
612-624-0667 lab

 

 

Research Interests:

Bacteriophage ø29 structure and assembly

Bacteriophage ø29 of Bacillus subtilis offers the opportunity for a complete understanding of the structure and assembly of a complex dsDNA bacterial virus in molecular terms. Primary current goals are to a) assemble the viral precursor capsid (prohead) in vitro from purified proteins, including a host chaperonin, and b) determine the mechanism of dsDNA packaging. All three protein constituents of the prohead, the major shell protein, the scaffold and the head-tail connector, have form determining function, and the structure and assembly of these proteins is being studied by biochemical analysis in combination with X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy 3D reconstruction. Packaging of DNA into the prohead proceeds with absolute efficiency in a completely defined in vitro system, providing experimental access to the energetics and dynamics of the process. The DNA packaging motor is comprised of the dodecameric head-tail connector, a novel multimer of RNA and a multimeric ATPase. Successive ATP hydrolyses are postulated to drive oscillation and rotation of the head-tail connector to translate DNA by two base pairs for each ATP molecule used. The force-generating packaging motor represents a new class of molecular motors and is one of the strongest motors reported, and its study will lead to a better understanding of mechanochemical energy transduction by biomolecular complexes. The structural components of the motor and their concerted dynamic function are being dissected by integrated genetic, biochemical and biophysical approaches. Methods include X-ray crystallography, transmission electron microscopy, cryo-electron microscopy and 3D reconstruction, single molecule packaging in the laser optical trap, and spectroscopic and single molecule fluorescence techniques.

Selected Recent Publications:

  • Fuller, D., J. P. Rickgauer, P. J. Jardine, S. Grimes, D. L. Anderson and D. E. Smith. 2007. Ionic effects on viral DNA packaging and portal motor function in bacteriophage phi29. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 104:11245-11250.
  • Atz, R., S. Ma, J. Gao, D. L. Anderson, and S. Grimes.  2007.  Alanine scanning and Fe-BABE probing of the bacteriophage phi29 prohead RNA-connector interaction.  J. Mol. Biol. 369:239-248.
  • Hugel, T., J. Michaelis, C. L. Hetherington, P. J. Jardine, S. Grimes, J. M. Walter, W. Falk, D. L. Anderson, and C. Bustamante.  2007.  Experimental test of connector rotation during DNA packaging into bacteriophage ø29 capsids.  PLoS Biol. 5(3), e59:0558-0567.
  • Xiang, Y., M. C. Morais, A. J. Battisti, S. Grimes, P. J. Jardine, D. L. Anderson and M. G. Rossman. 2006. Structural changes of bacteriophage ø29 upon DNA packaging and release. EMBO J. 25:5229-5239.
  • Jardine, P.J. and D. Anderson. 2005. DNA packaging in double-stranded DNA bacteriophage. In The Bacteriophages, R. Calendar, ed., Oxford Press, Chapter 6; 49-65.
  • Choi, K. H., M. C. Morais, D. L. Anderson, and M. G. Rossmann.  2006. Determinants of bacteriophage phi29 head morphology.  Structure 14:1723-1727.
  • Morais, M.C., K.H.Choi, J.S. Koti, P.R. Chipman, D.L. Anderson and M.G. Rossmann. 2005. Conservation of the capsid structure in tailed dsDNA bacteriophages: the pseudoatomic structure of ø29. Mol. Cell 18:149-159.
  • Chemla, Y.R., K. Aathavan, J. Michaelis, S. Grimes, P.J. Jardine, D.L. Anderson and C. Bustamante. 2005. Mechanism of force generation of a viral DNA packaging motor. Cell 122:683-692.

 



Last modified on: August 7, 2007