RUI: DNA replication in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

This project explores the precise mechanisms of DNA replication during plant cell division, aligning with Brooklyn College’s mission to provide undergraduate students with enriching research experiences from project design to publication. A Ph.D. student and several undergraduates will investigate DNA replication processes using the single-celled eukaryote Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a model organism.

These efforts will be seamlessly integrated into the undergraduate curriculum, offering motivated students hands-on laboratory experience within a structured educational framework. This approach seeks to deepen student engagement in cell biology at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI). The PI anticipates that integrating research into education will inspire undergraduates to pursue advanced degrees and careers in research or science education, equipping them with critical laboratory skills and fostering strong scientific reasoning.

The precise regulation of DNA replication initiation is critical for maintaining genome integrity. Although plants are essential for life on Earth, much of our current understanding of DNA replication and other fundamental cellular processes stems from studying plant models like Arabidopsis thaliana. To broaden our knowledge of DNA replication across plant lineages, we will use single-celled green algae as a model.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii—an evolutionarily distant organism with a plant-like gene set—offers a powerful experimental platform due to its robust molecular genetic tools, including CRISPR-based genome editing, time-lapse microscopy, and ChIP-seq. Our proposal centers on ORC1, the key protein responsible for initiating DNA replication. We aim to elucidate how ORC1 interacts with chromosomes, a process that remains poorly understood.

By revealing the fundamental mechanisms governing origin licensing, this research also seeks to establish Chlamydomonas as a valuable model organism for studying cell cycle and to provide insights into the evolutionary dynamics of DNA replication control.

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.