Analysis of cell division in individual filaments monitored over time Andrew Meng (UR '01) AMeng@Richmond.Edu

Earlier project (Fall-Spring 1997/1998)
The relationship of dam methylation and control over DNA replication
in the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120

Anabaena PC7120 is a filamentous cyanbacterium which in a nitrogen-minus condition would differentiate and form heterocyst which engages in nitrogen fixation. This differentiation into heterocyst occurs in a suprisingly orderly pattern. To determine if the cell cycle would affect this pattern of differentiation, we would mutate the dam methylase, a gene which we suspect would affect cell cycle, and conjugate the mutated dam methyalse back into Anabaena while observing the pattern of differentiation.

Presentations and Publications
Matveyev AV*, Meng A, Elbich CS, Nielsen CS, Elhai J (1998)
Differentiation and Sequence-specific DNA Modification in Anabaena PCC 7120
VIth Cyanobacterial Workshop, Pacific Grove, California

Meng A*, Matveyev A, Elhai J (1998)
Characterization and manipulation the dam methylase gene from Anabaena PCC 7120
Arts and Sciences Student Symposium, University of Richmond

Meng A*, Matveyev A, Elhai J (1998)
Cloning and characterization of the dam methylase gene from the cyanobacterium, Anabaena PCC 7120
Meeting of the Virginia Chapter of the American Society of Microbiologists, University of Richmond

Matveyev* AV, Young KT, Rumble J, Lee J, Bucheimer RE, Meng A, Elhai J (2000)
Intrinsic control of heterocyst spacing in Anabaena: The role of DNA methyltransferases
Xth International Symposium on Photosynthetic Prokaryotes, Barcelona, Spain

Matveyev AV, Young KT, Meng A, Elhai J (Submitted). DNA methyltransferases of the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120.
Nucleic Acids Research