Microbiology

Contact Us Department of Microbiology
Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine
School of Genetics and Microbiology
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin 2
Ireland

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magoverj@tcd.ie Gaeilge

About our Research

Our research lies at the nexus of bacterial nucleoid structure, DNA topology and the global control of gene expression in Gram-negative pathogens.

There is a strong emphasis on the roles of nucleoid-associated proteins, especially H-NS and Fis, in these processes. We use whole-genome and individual-gene methods to discover the principles that govern nucleoid organisation and gene expression control. We also study the regulatory mechanisms that evolve following acquisition by a bacterium of new genes through horizontal gene transfer.

Detection of H-NS protein binding to the entire chromosome of Salmonella by chromatin immuno-precipitation. The highest peaks correspond to horizontally-acquired genes.

Detection of H-NS protein binding to the entire chromosome of Salmonella by chromatin immuno-precipitation. The highest peaks correspond to horizontally-acquired genes.

The H-NS-like protein encoded by the horizontally-acquitred sfh gene binds to an extended sequence with structural similaries to those preferred by H-NS itself and the Fis protein (see SC Dillon ADS Cameron CJ Dorman. 2010. Mol Microbiol76:1250-1265).

H-NS binds and silences the A+T-rich gfp gene but not the re-engineered gfp TCDgene with reduced A+T content (Corcoran CP, ADS Cameron, CJ Dorman. 2010. J Bacteriol 192: 4790-4793).