This award supports the travel of Dr. James Van Etten of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln to Australia to conduct collaborative research with Dr. Jan Rohozinski of the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University. The goal of the research is to understand the biological function of DNA methyltransferases and DNA restriction enzymes coded by viruses which infect eukaryotic alga. Algal viruses are icosahedral DNA containing viruses which infect chlorella cells. Specifically, the research will attempt to establish a transformation system in chlorella so that studies of algal viral genes can be undertaken. Work to develop the transformation system is to be carried out in Australia at the Australian National University in Canberra. Once the transformation system is established, the cloning of viral genes will be accomplished. The facilities at the University of Nebraska are recognized as a major center for studying these viruses and the restriction modification system they encode. The analysis of the restriction modification genes, isolated by the Australian investigators, will be done at the University of Nebraska.
