George H. JonesGoodrich C. White Professor Emeritus

Education

• B.S., Harvard University, 1963
• Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1968

Research Area

• Genetics, Cell, and Developmental Biology

Graduate Program Affiliation

• Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

Research Description

Mechanism and regulation of antibiotic synthesis in Streptomyces. We are interested in the biochemistry and evolution of RNA degradation pathways in bacteria and the relationship of RNA degradation to antibiotic biosynthesis in Streptomyces. We are particularly interested in

1.  The regulation and function of polynucleotide phosphorylase in the synthesis of RNA 3'-tails in Streptomyces;
2. The role of the double strand-specific endoribonuclease, RNase III, a product of the absB locus in Streptomyces coelicolor, in regulating antibiotic production; and,
3. The mechanisms of transcript processing in Streptomyces and the role of processing in the regulation of gene expression; and
4. The biochemistry and evolution of RNA polyadenylation in various bacterial species, particularly Bacillus.

We utilize biochemical, genetic and bioinformatic approaches to study these systems.

Research Lab Description

Dr. Jones retired in 2013. We are interested in the biochemistry and evolution of RNA degradation pathways in bacteria and the relationship of RNA degradation to antibiotic biosynthesis in Streptomyces . We are particulary interested in RNA polyadenylation in various bacterial species and in the role of double strand specific endoribonucleases in regulating antibiotic production. We utilize biochemical, genetic, and bioinformatic approaches to study these systems.