title: A microbial genetic journey.
abstract: Fortunately, I began research in 1950 when the basic concepts of microbial genetics could be explored experimentally. I began with bacteriophage lambda and tried to establish the colinearity of its linkage map with its DNA molecule. My students and I worked out the regulation of lambda repressor synthesis for the establishment and maintenance of lysogeny. We also investigated the proteins responsible for assembly of the phage head. Using cell extracts, we discovered how to package DNA inside the head in vitro. Around 1972, I began to use molecular genetics to understand the developmental biology of Myxococcus xanthus. In particular, I wanted to learn how myxococcus builds its multicellular fruiting body within which it differentiates spores. We identified two cell-to-cell signals used to coordinate development. We have elucidated, in part, the signal transduction pathway for C-signal that directs the morphogenesis of a fruiting body.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. kaiser@cmgm.stanford.edu
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaiser
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009068:Movement; D016941:Myxococcus xanthus / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019065:Virus Assembly; D016662:Virus Integration
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C071728:MglA protein, Myxococcus xanthus