Systems approach in a multi-organism strategy to understand biomolecular interactions in DOE-relevant organisms
Rational reengineering of biology for the purpose of bioremediation, bioenergy or C-sequestration requires deep understanding of all functional interactions of relevant components within native cell(s). Many of these functional interactions are conserved across diverse species to different degrees depending on their evolutionary distance. We are conducting integrative analysis of genomic architecture and composition, transcriptome and proteome structure/function, protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions and metabolic networks to find keystone complexes and specialized circuit architectures for important application-relevant genes within four archaeal organisms. These organisms have enormous potentials from the standpoint of H2 production, N2 fixation, and C-sequestration; they include an anaerobic thermophile (Pyrococcus), an acidophilic and aerobic thermophile (Sulfolobus); a hydrogenotrophic methanogen (Methanococcus), and a photoheterotrophic halophile Halobacterium NRC-1. A key aspect of our approach is to use the power of systems biology to delineate the process of nucleation, assembly, and turnover of key complexes.
Note: Computational and experimental results from this study will be freely available upon publication at http://maggie.systemsbiology.