Lyle Simmons

Genome instability and nucleic acid modifications

We are interested in understanding how bacterial cells respond to genome instability. To examine these processes, we use the model organisms Bacillus subtilis. B. subtilis is a bacterium that is well developed for genetics, biochemistry, genomics and cell biological approaches to experiments. The B. subtilis pathways understudy show a high degree of conservation with the similar pathways in eukaryotes, including humans. Therefore, B. subtilis provides an ideal platform for understanding conserved mechanisms shared across biology using the numerous experimental tools that are available for study in this organism. Our lab is currently studying ribonucleotide excision repair, DNA helicase loading, N6 methyladenosine (m6A) modifications and we are discovering uncharacterized genes that contribute to DNA repair or the DNA damage checkpoint.

Field(s) of Study

• Ribonucleotide excision repair
• DNA replication 
• nucleic acid modifications (RNA and DNA methylation)
• Genomics

Areas of Focus

• Biochemistry
• Cell Biology
• Genomics
• Microbiology