Research programme in molecular Genetics of Microbes

Research directors:

Professor Leevi Kääriäinen
tel. 358-0-708 59400
E-mail: leevi@operoni.helsinki.fi

Professor Dennis Bamford
tel. 358-0-708 59100
E-mail: gen_phages@cc.helsinki.fi

In the research programme alphaviruses (Semliki Forest virus), bacteriophages (lambda 6, PRD1), yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus lactis) are used as models. The alphavirus project is concentrated on the mechanism of the replication of the virus RNAs in infected cells and in vitro, with the specific aim to inhibit virus multiplication. In the bacteriophage project the emphasis is on the structure and assembly of the virus particles as models for macromolecular structures. In the yeast project folding in the endoplasmic reticulum and secretion- competence of homologous and heterologous secretory proteins are studied. A novel system, which allows secretion of several heterologous proteins to the growth medium has been developed. The fourth project on lactic acid bacteria is concentrated on the expression and production of lantibiotics, especially nisin, which has a wide use in preservation of dairy products. The projects of the programme were in 1994:

Biogenesis of Semliki Forest virus