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Microbial Cell Research
Thrusts (continued)
4. Regulation
and Manipulation
Goal: Use gene-protein
manipulation to enhance or suppress various cell functions.
Challenges: The ultimate
aim of this undertaking, and the rationale for DOE's concerted effort
and focus, is to achieve the necessary level of understanding of cellular
functions so that they can be manipulated intelligently (e.g., beneficial
functions enhanced) and harmful functions suppressed. Once the minimum
gene set is defined, scientists will be able to specifically introduce
a gene or gene subset to gain insight into what metabolic flexibility
or advantage these added genes confer. These reverse genetic techniques
will prove especially powerful in elucidating the role of master regulatory
genes on metabolic networks that have been mapped out for a specific set
of environmental or growth parameters. Given the complexity of the metabolic
networks discussed previously for even the simplest cell, current gene
manipulations or interventions are analogous to throwing the proverbial
monkey wrench into a complex machine; mostly, the outcome will be negative
and uninformative. With greater knowledge about the parts, their interactions,
the pathways to which they belong, their partners in biochemistry, and
their temporal and spatial distribution within the cell, our interventions
can be more precise and predictable.
published 06/05/00
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