The Gorrell Lab

I work with a gene from an Achaean halophile, Haloarula marismortui, from the Dead Sea.  More specifically, I work with the putative 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine glycosylase (OGG, rrnAc1166) gene from Halarula marismortui that maybe be able to initiate repair of lesions in DNA caused from metabolism by-products. Previous OGG genes from yeast and humans, amongst other organisms, have been discovered and rrnAC1166 is 36% similar to human and 32% similar to its yeast counterparts.  My project begins with cloning the gene into a bacterial expression plasmid.  Once cloned the protein can be expressed and purified before testing for OGG activity.  This study could add to the understanding of DNA repair mechanisms in Achaea as well as cancer and aging