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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
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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 |
