Project: Impact of adenine methylation in unstable small colony variants of Staphylococcus aureus
Stinear Group
Type I restriction modification through adenine methylation of the DNA plays an important role in the “speciation” of Staphylococcus aureus. We have recently characterised a novel mechanism in the formation of unstable small colony variants (SCV) of S. aureus through an inversion of almost half of the chromosome (Guerillot et al 2019 PNAS). Using long read sequencing, we identified that the adenine methylation profile could be modified upon SCV formation. This project will investigate the impact that adenine methylation plays in the formation of SCVs, identify the mechanism behind unstable SCV formation and the impact of methylation on gene expression.
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Stinear Group
3 vacancies
The Stinear group study bacteria that can infect humans and cause disease and we study human immune responses to those bacteria. We make mutants. We uncover molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis. We discover new antibiotics. We make vaccines. We create new diagnostic tests. We track disease outbreaks, . We sequence genomes and we expose dodgy science. Our research usually involves close collaboration with public health laboratories and with major hospitals so that our research can be rapidly implemented and used to benefit society.
Stinear Group Current Projects
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Understanding essential gene regulation in Staphylococcus aureus
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Impact of adenine methylation in unstable small colony variants of Staphylococcus aureus
Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Finding new antibiotics against Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
Research degrees at the Doherty Institute are administered by the University of Melbourne.