NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2020: Influence of m6A In Gene Regulation and Protein Occupancy in Bacillus Subtilis

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The Fellow’s research assesses how chemical modifications (methylation) of DNA control how genes are turned on and off.

Cells from bacteria to humans have these modifications in their DNA. In bacteria, a major function of methylation is to identify and destroy invading DNA from sources including viruses that infect bacteria. However, the broad occurrence of DNA methylation suggests that methylation is important for other biological processes.

The goal of this research is to determine how DNA methylation influences and coordinates the process for gene expression. Due to the prevalence of DNA methylation in bacteria, the knowledge gained will have broad implications. During the course of this research, the Fellow will utilize programs and clubs within the institution to promote research and scholarship for populations under-represented in science.

Using the bacterial model organism Bacillus subtilis, the Fellow will utilize in vitro and in vivo assays to determine how DNA methylation, specifically N6-methyladenosine (m6A), influences protein-DNA interactions. Preliminary evidence suggests that DNA binding of the global regulator ScoC is negatively controlled by m6A. The Fellow will analyze the effect of m6A on DNA binding by ScoC to determine how methylation alters DNA binding in vitro.

The Fellow will also use targeted and untargeted systems-level approaches to determine how m6A influences protein-DNA interactions in vivo. Results from these experiments will 1) determine the effect of m6A on global DNA binding by ScoC and 2) identify regions of the genome that display methylation-dependent levels of protein binding. By coupling systems analysis with traditional biochemical characterization, the Fellow will take a novel approach to understand the functional consequences of m6A on gene expression and chromosome occupancy which will advance the field of bacterial epigenetics.

The Fellow will also develop projects based on this topic that are suitable for summer research opportunities for under-represented populations and science outreach opportunities targeted at middle-school and high-school students. In addition, the Fellow will undertake formal training modules and seminars on college-level teaching and professional development in pursuit of a career in academia.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.