This award supports a long-term visit by Dr. Donald T. Dubin of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School to work in the laboratory of Dr. Peter R. Stewart on the molecular evolution of the bacterial genus Staphylococcus. Members of the genus Staphylococcus are widespread in nature, as components of the normal flora of mammals and sometimes as causes of disease. Dr. Dubin will spend a 6-month sabbatical leave visiting the laboratory of Dr. Stewart, where he will exchange expertise relevant to molecular characterization of staphylococcus genomes. He will apply Dr. Stewart's procedures, including in vitro induction of deletions and pulsed field gel electrophoresis of chromosomal DNA, to strains of staphylococci that are of special interest for epidemiologic and molecular genetic reasons. These techniques will be complemented by techniques with which Dr. Dubin's laboratory has had extensive experience, including the oligonucleotide hybridization of Southern transfers of chromosomal DNA and polymerase chain reaction-facilitated sequencing of segments of genome expected to be useful in establishing phylogenetic relationships; namely, segments of ribosomal RNA genes. The work will be directed toward goals shared by the two laboratories including better understanding of the interaction between environmental factors (such as heavy metal pollution) and widespread agricultural and medical use of antibiotics and intrinsic genetic factors, in the rapid evolution of staphylococcal species and strains.
