Herbert Schellhorn
Professor, Biology

My laboratory is primarily interested in examining the role of bacterial genes that help the cell to adapt to sub-optimal growth conditions. Many of these genes are controlled by RpoS, an alternative sigma factor, that is itself modulated by specific regulatory factors. Currently, we are using DNA microarrays, real-time PCR and reporter fusions to identify and study the many genes controlled by RpoS.

We are also employing GC and LC mass spectrometry to examine changes in metabolite pools in Escherichia coli strains carrying precise deletion mutations to better understand the role of RpoS-controlled functions during adaptation.