Biochemical characterization of nucleic acid maintenance enzymes

Central to understanding how archaeal organisms maintain their nucleic acids, is understanding the molecular mechanisms that enzymes employ to repair, remove, and recycle nucleic acid damage. We utilize a variety of instrumentation and methodologies that enable a mechanistic and kinetic characterization of these enzymes, including capillary electrophoresis, rapid quench and stop flow, microscale thermophoresis, and single-molecule assays. Along with the help of our Organic synthesis group at NEB, we also aim to create novel oligonucleotides to further expand our understanding of archaeal nucleic acid maintenance mechanisms.