DOCSLIB.ORG

Experimental Surgery to Create Subgenomes of Bacillus Subtilis 168 (Recombination͞neomycin Resistance͞main Genome͞covalently Closed Circular Dna͞replication Origin)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Experimental Surgery to Create Subgenomes of Bacillus Subtilis 168 (Recombination͞neomycin Resistance͞main Genome͞covalently Closed Circular Dna͞replication Origin) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 94, pp. 5378–5382, May 1997 Microbiology Experimental surgery to create subgenomes of Bacillus subtilis 168 (recombinationyneomycin resistanceymain genomeycovalently closed circular DNAyreplication origin) MITSUHIRO ITAYA* AND TERUO TANAKA† *Mitsubishi Kasei Institute of Life Sciences, 11 Minamiooya, Machida-shi, Tokyo 194, Japan; and †School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University, Shimizu, Shizuoka 424, Japan Communicated by John Roth, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, February 25, 1997 (received for review March 1, 1996) ABSTRACT The 4,188-kb circular genome of Bacillus to term the autonomously replicating entity a subgenome of subtilis 168 was artificially dissected into two stable circular bacteria. chromosomes in vivo, one being the 3,878-kb main genome and the other the 310-kb subgenome that was recovered as co- MATERIALS AND METHODS valently closed circular DNA in CsCl-ethidium bromide ul- tracentrifugation. The minimal requirements to physically Bacterial Strains and Plasmids. B. subtilis 168 trpC2 was separate the 310-kb DNA segment out of the genome were two obtained from the Bacillus Genetic Stock Center (Columbus, interrepeat homologous sequences and an origin of DNA OH). All the BEST strains in this report are derived from this replication between them. The subgenome originated from the by integration of antibiotic resistance markers. The SfiI-NotI 1,255–1,551-kb region of the B. subtilis genome was essential physical map (14) of the B. subtilis 168 genome and the I-CeuI for the cell to survive because the subgenome was not lost from map, equivalent to the ribosomal RNA gene operon (rrn) map the cell. The finding that the B. subtilis genome has a potential (17) are described in Fig. 1. Preparation and transformation of to be divided and the resulting two replicons stably main- E. coli JA221 (F2 hsdR hsdM1 trp leu lacY recA1, ref. 14) tained may shed light on origins and formation mechanisms competent cells were done by the method of Mandel and Higa of giant plasmids or second chromosomes present in many (19). Protocols for preparation and transformation of compe- bacteria. Similar excision or its reversal process, i.e., integra- tent B. subtilis cells were described (14). Luria–Bertani broth tion of large sized covalently closed circular DNA pieces into (20) was used for growth of E. coli, and Luria–Bertani and the main genome, implies significant roles of subgenomes in antibiotic medium 3 (Difco) for B. subtilis. Nutritional require- the exchange of genetic information and size variation of ments for B. subtilis were tested using Spizizen plates with bacterial genomes in bacterial evolution. appropriate amino acids (21). Bacteria were grown at 378Cin all media. pNEXT33 and pNEXT41 (the NotI-linking clones carrying The bacterial chromosome structure has been thought to be NotI site at 1,255 and 3,791 kb, respectively) were described stably maintained under constant environments (1), although previously (14, 22). In this study we used two truncated some plasticity tolerating DNA rearrangements such as inver- neomycin resistance gene alleles; one carries a deletion at the sion, deletion, and duplication has been reported (2–4). There C terminus (ne), while the other carries a deletion at N are several bacteria that have a second chromosome (chro- terminus (eo). Construction of pBEST518 that carries the [ne] mosome II) (5–7) or megabase-sized plasmids (7–11), although cassette and pBEST524B that carries the [eo] cassette was the origins and dynamics of their formation mechanisms are described previously (23). not clear, and the discrimination of plasmids from second The [ne] and [eo] gene cassettes used in this study were chromosomes has not been well defined. Meanwhile there are prepared from pBEST518 and pBEST524B. Briefly, the 2.4-kb numerous examples that DNA pieces shuttle between an [ne] cassette composed of a (ne) segment (1.1 kb) and the autonomously replicating state and an integrated form in the spectinomycin resistance gene (spc, 1.3 kb), the 1.4-kb [eo] host genome. Well known examples are, the genome of cassette composed of a (eo) segment (0.79 kb) and the Escherichia coli phage lambda that exists in two states, one the blasticidin S resistance gene (bsr, 0.6 kb) were excised with lysogenic state, and the other the state showing lytic cycle (12) NotI from pBEST518 and pBEST524B, respectively. The [ne] and the F-factor that shuttles between the Hfr and episome cassette and the [eo] cassette were inserted into the NotI sites forms (13). of pNEXT33 and pNEXT41, respectively, resulting in B. subtilis 168, an endospore forming gram-positive soil pNEXT33FA and pNEXT41GB. bacterium, has a single 4,188-kb circular genome whose struc- The oriN sequence is the replication origin of a 70-kb ture is considered to be stably maintained (1, 14). This low-copy number plasmid pLS32 obtained from a B. natto bacterium carries no indigenous plasmid although there are a strain (24). Plasmid pBET131 (14.3 kb) is composed of an number of foreign plasmids capable of replication in this host oriN-carrying 7-kb BamHI segment from pLS32, 5.4-kb (15, 16). In this study we show evidence that a 310-kb genomic pUH101 (a pBR322 derivative plasmid carrying the chloram- DNA segment of this bacterium can be excised and replicate phenicol resistance gene), and a 1.9-kb fragment carrying the as an independent replicon from the genome. The established tetracycline resistance gene (T.T., Y. Ohshiro, and M. Ogura, covalently closed circular form of DNA was found in the cell unpublished work). To integrate pBET131 in the BEST5018 and its presence was essential for the cell to grow. We propose genome, a pBR322 sequence was first created at 1,375 kb of the BEST5018 genome. The pBR322 sequence marked with eryth- The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge romycin resistance gene of BEST2124 (25) was transferred to payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked ‘‘advertisement’’ in the 1,375-kb site of BEST5018 by transformation, resulted in R R R accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact. BEST4170 (Spc ,BS , pBR322::Em at 1,375 kb). BEST4173 (Fig. 1) was obtained from BEST4170 by replacement of the Copyright q 1997 by THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USA 0027-8424y97y945378-5$2.00y0 PNAS is available online at http:yywww.pnas.org. Abbreviation: cccDNA, covalently closed circular DNA. 5378 Downloaded by guest on September 29, 2021 Microbiology: Itaya and Tanaka Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94 (1997) 5379 FIG.1. SfiI-NotI-I-CeuI map of the B. subtilis 168 genome. The physical map of the 4,188-kb B. subtilis genome for NotI (inner circle), SfiI (outer circle), and I-CeuI map (equivalent of the rrn map) is shown. The sizes of the I-CeuI fragments .100 kb are shown by arcs with two arrowheads. The loci of oriC and terC have been determined (14, 18). Strain BEST4173 has the [ne] cassette at 1,255 kb, the [eo] cassette at 1,551 kb, and the oriN (closed circle) at 1,375 kb of the physical map as described in the materials and methods section. The spectinomycin resistance gene (spc) included in the [ne] cassette and the blasticidin S resistance gene (bsr) in the [eo] cassette are shown. The 300-kb DNA segment (1,255–1,551 kb) is shown by double arcs. erythromycin marker with the cat-oriN-tet array of pBET131. somal homologous recombination between two truncated BEST4173, selected by chloramphenicol and tetracycline, neomycin resistance gene alleles (indicated as [ne] and [eo] in showed erythromycin sensitive. Fig. 1) integrated at the ends of the DNA region to be Plasmid transformants of E. coli were selected by tetracy- rearranged. Integration of the [ne] cassette at 1,255 kb was cline, 15 mgyml; chloramphenicol, 5 mgyml; spectinomycin, 100 done by transformation of linearized pNEXT33FA, selecting mgyml; and ampicillin, 100 mgyml. Transformants of B. subtilis for spectinomycin resistance transformant BEST2161. Inte- were selected by chloramphenicol, 5 mgyml; blasticidin S, 500 gration of the [eo] cassette at 1,551 kb of the BEST2161 mgyml; tetracycline, 15 mgyml, and spectinomycin, 50 mgyml. genome was similarly done using linearized pNEXT41GB. In Vitro DNA Manipulations. Endonucleases and T4 DNA BEST5018 was obtained as blasticidin S resistant transformant ligase were obtained from Toyobo (Osaka), except for SfiI and of BEST2161. Presence and orientation of the [ne] and [eo] I-CeuI from New England Biolabs, NotI from Takara Shuzo cassettes in the BEST5018 genome was verified by Southern (Kyoto), and I-SceI from Boehringer Mannheim. hybridization using both plasmids as probes (data not shown). Preparation of B. subtilis Chromosomal DNA and Southern Strain BEST5018 did not produce a spontaneous neomycin- Hybridization. Intact unsheared chromosomal DNA for con- resistant recombinants. tour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoretic To test if about 300-kb genomic segment (1,255–1,551 kb) analysis was prepared in agarose plugs as described previously can be established as an autonomous replicon, strain (1, 14, 18). Running conditions are described in the Fig. 3. BEST4173 was constructed from BEST5018 as described in Chromosomal DNA for analysis by conventional gel electro- Materials and Methods. Presence of the [ne], [eo], and oriN of phoresis was prepared by a liquid isolation method (26). BEST4173 shown in Fig. 1 was verified by Southern hybrid- Agarose gel (1.0% wtyvol) in TBE solution (50 mM ization experiments using pNEXT33FA, pNEXT41GB, and Triszborate, pH 8.0y1.0 mM EDTA) was used for conventional pBET131 as probes (data not shown). It was expected that a gel electrophoresis at room temperature. After electrophoresis recombinational event occurring between the common 590-bp the DNA was stained in ethidium bromide solution (600 homologous region of the integrated [ne] and [eo] sequence ngyml) for 15 min and photographed.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Evolution of Coenzyme BI2 Synthesis Among Enteric Bacteria
    Copyright 0 1996 by the Genetics Society of America Evolution of Coenzyme BI2Synthesis Among Enteric Bacteria: Evidence for Loss and Reacquisition of a Multigene Complex Jeffrey G. Lawrence and John R. Roth Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 Manuscript received June 16, 1995 Accepted for publication October 4, 1995 ABSTRACT We have examined the distribution of cobalamin (coenzyme BI2) synthetic ability and cobalamin- dependent metabolism among entericbacteria. Most species of enteric bacteria tested synthesize cobala- min under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions and ferment glycerol in a cobalamindependent fashion. The group of species including Escha'chia coli and Salmonella typhimurium cannot ferment glyc- erol. E. coli strains cannot synthesize cobalamin de novo, and Salmonella spp. synthesize cobalamin only under anaerobic conditions. In addition, the cobalamin synthetic genes of Salmonella spp. (cob) show a regulatory pattern different from that of other enteric taxa tested. We propose that the cobalamin synthetic genes, as well asgenes providing cobalamindependent diol dehydratase, were lostby a common ancestor of E. coli and Salmonella spp. and were reintroduced as a single fragment into the Salmonella lineage from an exogenous source. Consistent with this hypothesis, the S. typhimurium cob genes do not hybridize with the genomes of other enteric species. The Salmonella cob operon may represent a class of genes characterized by periodic loss and reacquisition by host genomes. This process may be an important aspect of bacterial population genetics and evolution. OBALAMIN (coenzyme BIZ) is a large evolution- The cobalamin biosynthetic genes have been charac- C arily ancient molecule ( GEORGOPAPADAKOUand terized in S.
    [Show full text]
  • Spontaneous Tandem Genetic Duplications in Salmonella
    Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 78, No. 5, pp. 3113-3117, May 1981 Genetics Spontaneous tandem genetic duplications in Salmonella typhimurium arise by unequal recombination between rRNA (rrn) cistrons (gene duplication/chromosomal merodiploidy/transposon) PHILIP ANDERSON* AND JOHN ROTH Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 Communicated by Sydney Brenner, January 19, 1981 ABSTRACT A method is described to detect and measure the quences cause duplications to arise frequently in this region of frequency of spontaneous tandem genetic duplications located the chromosome. A preliminary account of this work has ap- throughout the Salmonella genome. The method is based on the peared elsewhere (3). ability of duplication-containing strains to inherit two selectable alleles of a single gene during generalized transductional crosses. MATERIALS AND METHODS One allele of the gene carries an insertion of the translocatable Media and Growth Conditions. The details of media, sup- tetracycline-resistance element TnlO; the other allele is a wild- plements, and growth conditions have been-described (4). Tet- type copy of that gene. Using this technique, we have measured racycline and kanamycin were added at 10 pug/ml and 50 ug/ the frequency oftandem duplications at 38 chromosomal sites and ml, respectively. the amount of material included in 199 independent duplications. Bacterial Strains. All strains are derivatives of Salmonella These results suggest that, in one region of the chromosome, tan- typhimurium strain LT2. A nonlysogenizing derivative of the dem duplications are particularly frequent events. Such duplica- high-transducing phage ofSchmieger (5), P22 HT105/1 int-201, tions have end points within rRNA (rrn) cistrons and probably was used in all transductions.
    [Show full text]
  • CCR for Online
    COOL CAREER ROUNDTABLES 1:00 - 1:45 Female STEM Experts in Engineering. It’s a Girl Thing! LOCATION: N 103 Whether you prefer high heels or flats, there is no need to hide your secret passion for structures, machines and how things work. Learn where these women have gone with engineering degrees. Kristine Budill, MS MIT Electrical Engineering; MS MIT Management; New York Teaching Certification, Manhattan College 2012; BS Yale, Electrical Engineering Current: Director of EE Ford Program in Architecture, Design and Engineering at School of the Holy Child Previous: aircraft engine design, testing & manufacturing; Injection Molding; Fluid Technology. Sheila Narayanan, MBA, University of Chicago; BS University of Wales, Mechanical Engineering Current: Vice President, Integrated Solutions/Future Capabilities, MasterCard Worldwide; working to use data and predictive analytics to deliver leading edge payment & information services to consumers and businesses Previous: Designing jet engines for military aircraft at Rolls Royce & GE Advanced Biological Research LOCATION: N 104 Cutting edge research that cuts across disciplines -- molecular genetics, neuroscience and microbiology. Gord Fishell, PhD University of Toronto, Neurobiology; BS University of Toronto, Physiology & Biophysics Current: NYU Neuroscience Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, Physiology & Cell Biology; Director of Fishell Lab; research includes using mice to study and map cortical microcircuits & their genetic expressions John Roth, PhD Johns Hopkins University, Biology (Genetics);
    [Show full text]
  • F: Acknowledgements
    Appendix F Acknowledgements OTA wishes to acknowledge the many people con- James E. Bowman tributed to the preparation of this report. Members of University of Chicago the advisory panel and contractors are listed at the Elbert Branscomb front of the report. Workshop participants are listed Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in appendix C. Others helped by commenting on drafts Douglas Brutlag of the report, providing information or advice, or con- Stanford University senting to interviews with OTA staff. OTA particularly thanks those at the National Institutes of Health, the Martin Buechi Department of Energy, the National Science Founda- Embassy of Switzerland tion, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and other John Burris organizations for their invaluable efforts to inform National Academy of Sciences OTA about their activities. Our gratitude is extended to: Andrew Bush Carlos Abella U.S. Senate Embassy of Spain Mark Cantley Bruce M. Alberts Commission of the European Economic Community University of California al San Francisco Charles R. Cantor Duane Alexander College of Physicians and Surgeons of National Institute of Child Health and Human Columbia University Development C. Thomas Caskey Norman Anderson Baylor College of Medicine Large Scale Biology James Cassatt Wyatt Anderson National Institute of General Medical Sciences University of Georgia James W. Chamberlain David G. Baldwin U.S. Embassy, Brazil Tetrarch Inc. Andrew T. L. Chen David Baltimore Centers for Disease Control Whitehead Institute James F. Childress Phil Beachy University of Virginia Carnegie Institution of Washington George M. Church George I. Bell Harvard University Medical School Los Alamos National Laboratory Mary Clutter Celeste Berg National Science Foundation Carnegie Institution of Washington Stanley Cohen Fred Bergmann Stanford Medical School National Institute of General Medical Sciences Francis Collins Michel Bernon University of Michigan Embassy of France P.
    [Show full text]
  • HENRY MARK JOHNSTON Date
    CURRICULUM VITAE - HENRY MARK JOHNSTON Date: 31 March 2014 Date of Birth: December 20, 1951 Place of Birth: Stevens Point, Wisconsin Citizenship: USA Office Address: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Home Address: University of Colorado School of Medicine 3352 Xenia St. Mail Stop 8101, P.O. Box 6511 Denver, CO 80238 Aurora, CO 80045 Phone 303-724-3201; Fax 303-724-3215 Education: 1974 Bachelor of Arts, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Field of Study: Molecular Biology Thesis: Genetics of Nitrogenase of K. pneumoniae; Mentor: Winston Brill 1980 Doctor of Philosophy, University of California, Berkeley. Field of Study: Mol. Biology Thesis: Regulation of the his Operon of S. typhimurium; Mentor: John Roth 1980-83 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine Research: Molecular genetics of yeast GAL genes; Mentor: Ronald Davis Academic Positions: 2009 - Professor and Chair Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics University of Colorado-Denver 1997 - 2008 Professor of Genetics Department of Genetics Washington University School of Medicine 1990 - 97 Associate Professor of Genetics Department of Genetics Washington University School of Medicine 1983 - 89 Assistant Professor of Genetics Department of Genetics Washington University School of Medicine Recognition: 2012 Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 2008 George W. Beadle Award, Genetics Society of America (see PMID: 18385105) 2006 Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science 2004 “B” Flight
    [Show full text]
  • Rapid Mapping in Salmonella Typhimurium with Mud-P22 Prophages NICHOLAS R
    JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, Mar. 1992, p. 1673-1681 Vol. 174, No. 5 0021-9193/92/051673-09$02.00/0 Copyright © 1992, American Society for Microbiology Rapid Mapping in Salmonella typhimurium with Mud-P22 Prophages NICHOLAS R. BENSON* AND BARRY S. GOLDMANt Department ofBiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah Received 28 October 1991/Accepted 7 January 1992 A new method for mapping mutations in the Salmonella typhimurium chromosome is described and applied to the localization of novel regulatory mutations affecting expression of the nirB (nitrite reductase) gene. The mapping technique'is also illustrated by the mapping of mutations in genes affecting carbohydrate catabolism and biosynthetic pathways. The new mapping method involves use of the hybrid phage MudP and MudQ (together referred to as Mud-P22), originally constructed by Youderian et al. (Genetics 118:581-592, 1988). This report describes a set of Mud-P22 lysogens, each member of the set containing a different Mud-P22 insertion. The insertions are scattered along the entire Salmonella genome. These lysogens, when induced by mitomycin C, generate transducing lysates that are enriched (45- to 1,400-fold over the background, generalized transducing particle population) for transducing particles containing bacterial DNA that flanks one side of the insertion. We demonstrate that within the set of lysogens there can be found at least one Mud-P22 insertion that enriches for any particular region of the Salmonella chromosome and that, therefore, all regions of the chromosome are discretely enriched and represented by the collection as a whole. We describe a technique that allows the rapid and facile determination of which lysate contains enriched sequences for the repair of a mutant locus, thereby allowing the determination of the map position of the locus.
    [Show full text]
  • CSHL Undergraduate Research Program Participants 1959 - 2018
    CSHL Undergraduate Research Program Participants 1959 - 2018 URP name University Advisor Research Project 1959 David Baltimore Swarthmore College A. Chovnick Physiological genetics of Drosophila and Neurospora Sandra Edwards Goucher College M. Demerec Bacterial genetics Frederick Gilman Michigan State University H. Gay Electron microscopy and cytogenetics Lucie Hicks Mount Holyoke College P.E. Hartman Bacterial genetics Nancy Metnick Rutgers University R.D. Hotchkiss Pneumococcus transformation Samuel Piel Harvard University B.P. Kaufmann Electron microscopy and cytogenetics Robert Reinhold Johns Hopkins University S.E. Luria Genetics of bacteriophage Philip Shambaugh Princeton University P. Margolin Bacterial genetics George Trager Cornell University H. Moser Tissue culture of normal and malignant mammalian cells Carole Weisbrot Brooklyn College G. Streisinger Genetics of bacteriophage viruses 1960 Philip Colbert Wesleyan University B.P. Kaufmann Effect of deoxyribonuclease in Drosophila Carol Dressel Michigan State University A. Chovnick Studies of a complex locus in Drosophila Kay L. Fields Radcliffe College P. Margolin Variation in transduction frequency in S. typhimurium Steven Jaffe Johns Hopkins University R. Franklin Chromosomal variation in normal and tumorous lines of mouse cells grown in vitro Charles Laird University of Oregon P. Margolin Mechanism of gene incorporation through transduction in S. typhimurium Marlene Martin Rutgers University A. Schalet Development of selective procedures for recombination studies in Drosophila Frances Messik Alfred University B.P. Kaufmann Effect of infrared irradiation on recombination in Drosophila June Rothman Swarthmore College M. Fox Cross-feeding between mutant and wild-type cells of E. coli 1961 Marietta Cassle Indiana University B.P. Kaufmann Study of chromosomes in human blood cells Gail Choder University of Pittsburgh E.
    [Show full text]
  • CSHL Undergraduate Research Program Participants 1959 - 2017
    CSHL Undergraduate Research Program Participants 1959 - 2017 URP name University Advisor Research Project 1959 David Baltimore Swarthmore College A. Chovnick Physiological genetics of Drosophila and Neurospora Sandra Edwards Goucher College M. Demerec Bacterial genetics Frederick Gilman Michigan State University H. Gay Electron microscopy and cytogenetics Lucie Hicks Mount Holyoke College P.E. Hartman Bacterial genetics Nancy Metnick Rutgers University R.D. Hotchkiss Pneumococcus transformation Samuel Piel Harvard University B.P. Kaufmann Electron microscopy and cytogenetics Robert Reinhold Johns Hopkins University S.E. Luria Genetics of bacteriophage Philip Shambaugh Princeton University P. Margolin Bacterial genetics George Trager Cornell University H. Moser Tissue culture of normal and malignant mammalian cells Carole Weisbrot Brooklyn College G. Streisinger Genetics of bacteriophage viruses 1960 Philip Colbert Wesleyan University B.P. Kaufmann Effect of deoxyribonuclease in Drosophila Carol Dressel Michigan State University A. Chovnick Studies of a complex locus in Drosophila Kay L. Fields Radcliffe College P. Margolin Variation in transduction frequency in S. typhimurium Steven Jaffe Johns Hopkins University R. Franklin Chromosomal variation in normal and tumorous lines of mouse cells grown in vitro Charles Laird University of Oregon P. Margolin Mechanism of gene incorporation through transduction in S. typhimurium Marlene Martin Rutgers University A. Schalet Development of selective procedures for recombination studies in Drosophila Frances Messik Alfred University B.P. Kaufmann Effect of infrared irradiation on recombination in Drosophila June Rothman Swarthmore College M. Fox Cross-feeding between mutant and wild-type cells of E. coli 1961 Marietta Cassle Indiana University B.P. Kaufmann Study of chromosomes in human blood cells Gail Choder University of Pittsburgh E.
    [Show full text]
  • National-Academies-Letter.Pdf
    July 6, 2009 Dear Governor Schwarzenegger: The three hundred signers of this letter write to you as members of the US National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine, and as professors at the University of California to express our deep concern about the latest round of proposed cuts to the UC budget. Current proposals being weighed by your office and the Legislature call for a 19% reduction from 2007-8 levels in state support for UC, producing an $800 million shortfall in the UC budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year. This will lead to increases in student fees, reductions in pay or furloughs for faculty and staff, and cuts in virtually all University services. These cuts will be devastating to every part of the University’s mission, but as scientists and engineers we are particularly concerned about their effects on the future of science and technology in California. While we recognize that our state faces an unprecedented financial crisis, the proposed cuts come on top of a decades-long trend of declining state support for the University of California. The situation has reached a breaking point. Further cuts of the magnitude being contemplated in the latest round of budget proposals are likely to destroy UC’s status as the leading public university in the United States. This would undermine prospects for economic recovery and damage California’s competitiveness for decades. Before making a decision in the heat of a crisis that will have negative consequences for decades to come, we ask that you consider the following: • It is estimated that 85% of per capita economic growth in the United States is due to technological change1, and the University of California has been a leading driver of that change.
    [Show full text]
  • October 1957 Changed the Course of American Science and of My Own
    Getting Along with a Little Help from My Friends The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters. Citation Fink, Gerald R. “Getting Along with a Little Help from My Friends.” Journal of Biological Chemistry 284.36 (2009): 23885-23890. As Published http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.X109.029389 Publisher American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc. Version Original manuscript Citable link http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/56011 Terms of Use Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported Detailed Terms http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ Getting Along With a Little Help sparked my interest in metabolism and From My Friends supported my growing awareness that there was a lot going on outside of our town. Yamins took an interest in my education and Gerald R. Fink channeled me towards his alma mater, Whitehead Institute/MIT Amherst College. A friend from high school, Harold Varmus, then a freshman at The successful launching of the Russian the college, encouraged me to come and satellite, Sputnik, in October 1957 changed avoid becoming "…just another grind in the course of American Science and my Harvard Yard." future. The shock waves reached my high school in Freeport, N. Y., a complacent College-a first taste of the regulation suburb on the south shore of Long Island problem notable for its easy access to New York City and Jones Beach State Park. The school was In my junior year at Amherst two lectures uninspiring---its heroes were the athletes weighed heavily as I thought about my and cheerleaders, who were objects of future.
    [Show full text]
  • From the President's Desk
    Jan | Feb 2009 From the President’s desk: 2009 Brings Changes and Optimism As 2009 begins and Barak Obama takes office, several issues at the national level will be closely watched by GSA members and indeed by most scientists. The greatest concern for many of us is government support for research. What will the Obama administration do to address funding levels of NIH, NSF, and other agencies? While no specifics have yet been provided, there is encouraging news, including the appointment of former NIH director Harold Varmus and Eric Lander to serve as co-chairs of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Reports that the Obama administration hopes to double the NIH budget over the next four years and that it views investment in research as an economic stimulus add to our optimism, even in the face of the current economic crisis. We await more definitive news on budget plans for research funding and on the appointment of the next NIH director. Equally important to funding is the expectation of a changed attitude of the federal government toward scientific research. As we celebrate Darwin’s 200th birthday this year, it is fitting to have leaders who understand that evolution is a fundamental aspect of learning genetics and that teaching it in the classroom should not be controversial. There is tremendous anticipation that the Obama administration will be a stalwart ally in many areas of science, ranging from climate change to stem cells. In this enlightened environment, we encourage GSA members to become more involved in teaching, to participate in public policy discussions, and to promote research careers to our students.
    [Show full text]
  • 2002Scholarshipbook-4.Pdf
    INDEX Foreword ..................................................................................................................................................................2 A Call to Serious Christian Scholarship........................................................................................................................4 Presidential Profile......................................................................................................................................................5 Faculty Profile ............................................................................................................................................................9 Index of Faculty ......................................................................................................................................................10 Books ......................................................................................................................................................................12 Articles and Book Chapters ......................................................................................................................................14 Exhibits and Performances........................................................................................................................................25 Presentations............................................................................................................................................................26 Grant Activities ........................................................................................................................................................40
    [Show full text]