Rodrigo Galhardo, Ph.D.

Research

In our lab we focus on several aspects of DNA repair and mutagenesis, using the model organism Caulobacter crescentus and the power of bacterial molecular genetics. We are working on the physiological role of Y family DNA polymerases, error-prone enzymes involved in DNA damage tolerance and mutagenesis. These enzymes act to tolerate insults to the DNA by promoting translesion DNA synthesis, and we are currently investigating the specificity of the two Y-family polymerases of C. crescentus for different DNA lesions. We are also interested in the mutagenesis promoted by such enzymes when using non-damaged DNA, and its regulation by several environmental stresses, such as prolonged stationary phase, antibiotic insult and starvation.