Visions and Goals

The overall scientific aim of this NSF-funded program is to study the adaptation of a single-celled organism either to the introduction of a new metabolic pathway, such as might occur through horizontal gene transfer by plasmid exchange, or to the introduction of a new enzymatic activity, such as occurs, for example, by gene duplication followed by random mutagenesis. These two mechanisms form the basis for one of the most important fundamental processes in biology - the evolution of new enzymes and pathways and, ultimately, new species - but little is understood about how and what happens next, as the organism adapts, at the level of changes in gene expression and adjustments in a metabolism, to such new activities. We propose to exploit advances in technology that now allow this question to be addressed. Our goal is to use a carefully developed model system to learn which factors govern the evolution of new enzymes and pathways; how they can be modeled effectively; and how they influence - and are influenced by - the core pathways already extant in the organism. Such understanding is crucial to developing a complete picture of - and models for - molecular evolution and the response of organisms to evolutionary and environmental pressures. Such understanding is also essential if scientists are to successfully introduce foreign genes into insects, animals, plants and people for purposes ranging from gene therapy to improved disease resistance to bioremediation.