The acquisition of genetic pathways in bacteria

Speaker: Andrew Francis

Affiliation: University of Western Sydney

Time: Monday 19/09/2011 from 14:00 to 15:00

Venue: Access Grid UWS. Presented from Parramatta (EB.1.32), accessible from Campbelltown (26.1.50) and Penrith (Y239).

Abstract: Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), in which a strand of DNA from another cell is incorporated into a host, is believed to explain the ability of bacteria to rapidly acquire new genetic traits. In some examples, such as multi-gene drug resistance, this feature can have a significant impact on humans. In this talk I will present a combinatorial model of pathway acquisition that incorporates HGT, the fitness cost of carrying partial pathways, the fitness benefit of carrying the full pathway, and exposure to a beneficial environment. We use this model to study how pathways are acquired, and to explain the observed presence of partial pathways. This is joint work with Mark Tanaka, UNSW.

Biography: Andrew Francis is a Professor and ARC Future Fellow in the Centre for Research in Mathematics in the School of Computing and Mathematics at UWS. His research interests lie in algebra (finite reflection groups and Hecke algebras), in mathematical biology (evolutionary questions related to bacterial genetics), and in applications of algebra to biology.