For the past 6 months I worked on the expression, purification, and function of the Mcm proteins from Archaebacterium, Aeropyrum pernix. I definitely would like to continue exploring the biochemistry and structure of these proteins. Archae DNA replication in A. pernix is a perfect model for eukaryotic DNA replication. Discoveries that I find in the activities of the Mcm from A. pernix can then be applied to the study of the initiation of DNA replication in yeast. Mcm proteins are very interesting to me because they are required for DNA replication and therefore understanding their structure and biochemistry is key to understanding the regulation of DNA replication. The experience I gain discovering new knowledge about the regulation of DNA replication will enhance my ability to design effective experiments in the future. This experience will also help deepen my ability to think analytically which is a critical skill for independent scientific research.
