Michael Feiss, Ph.D.
Ph.D., University of Washington, 1969 |
Professor Emeritus of Microbiology Campus address: 3-752 BSB Mailing address: 51 Newton Rd. 3-752 Bowen Science Building Iowa City, IA 52242 Phone: 319-335-7782 Email: |
Virus DNA Packaging
We are studying how a virus, the E. coli bacteriophage lambda, packages DNA during assembly of the viral particle. We are interested in DNA-DNA and DNA-protein interactions involved in DNA packaging and the mechanism of DNA translocation. For recognition of lambda DNA from a pool that includes host DNA, terminase, the viral DNA packaging protein, binds to a site on lambda DNA called cosB. Terminase also (1) binds the prohead, the empty protein shell into which DNA is to be packaged, (2) nicks the DNA at the cosN site, which is adjacent to cosB, to generate the cohesive ends of mature viral DNA, and (3) is the ATPase that powers translocation of the DNA into the protein head shell.
One current project is a genetic and biochemical study of the role of terminase in DNA translocation. A second project is a study of a novel site located between cosN and cosB that is important for DNA packaging. A third project is a study of the cosB site of phage N15, a close relative of phage lambda which has a significantly different cos recognition requirement.
Recent publications
Giri, L., Li, H., Sandgren, D., Feiss, M.G., Roller, R., Bonning, B.C., and Murhammer, D.W. (2010) Removal of transposon target sites from the Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus fp25k gene delays, but does not prevent, accumulation of the few polyhedra phenotype. J. Gen. Virol. 91:3053-3064.
Medina, E., Wieczorek, D., Medina, E.M., Yang, Q., Feiss, M., and Catalano, C.E. (2010) Assembly and maturation of the bacteriophage lambda procapsid: gpC is the viral protease. J. Mol. Biol. 401:813-830.
Tsay, J.M., Sippy, J., DelToro, D., Andrews, B.T., Draper, B., Rao, V., Catalano, C.E., Feiss, M., and Smith, D.E. (2010) Mutations altering a structurally conserved loop-helix-loop region of a viral packaging motor change DNA translocation velocity and processivity. J. Biol. Chem. 285:24282-24289.
Zeng, L., Skinner, S.O., Sippy, J., Feiss, M., and Golding, I. (2010) Decision making at the sub-cellular level determines the outcome of bacteriophage infection. Cell 141:682-691.
Feiss, M., Reynolds, E., Schrock, M., and Sippy, J. (2010) DNA packaging by lambda-like bacteriophages: mutations broadening the packaging specificity of terminase, the lambda-packaging enzyme. Genetics 184:43-52.
Tsay, J.M., Sippy, J., Feiss, M., and Smith, D.E. (2009) The Q motif of a viral packaging motor governs its force generation and communicates ATP recognition to DNA interaction. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., USA 106:14355–14360.