Understanding chromosome organization
DNA encodes the blueprints for life. To fit within cells, DNA is highly wound, which affects how easily its instructions can be read and copied. We cannot yet predict DNA structure based on its sequence or context. The Guo lab seeks to define the rules that link DNA context to its organization and molecular function, untangling how DNA is converted to life.
Leveraging genetics, biochemistry, single-molecule experiments, and high-throughput sequencing, we aim to understand:
How DNA structuring proteins regulate the molecular machines that copy genomes, which will describe the universal rules regulating chromosome architecture, conserved requirements of DNA replication, and discover new targets for future antibiotics.
How DNA shape impacts chromosome biology, which will allow us to predict and potentially control sites of replication obstruction, genomic vulnerability, chromosome contact, and evolution.