This cluster supports studies on genomes and genetic mechanisms in all organisms, whether prokaryote, eukaryote, phage, or virus. Proposals on the structure, maintenance, expression, transfer, and stability of genetic information in DNA, RNA, and proteins and how those processes are regulated are appropriate. Areas of interest include genome organization, molecular and cellular evolution, replication, recombination, repair, and vertical and lateral transmission of heritable information. Of equal interest are the processes that mediate and regulate gene expression, such as chromatin structure, epigenetic phenomena, transcription, RNA processing, editing and degradation, and translation. The use of innovative in vivo and/or in vitro approaches, including biochemical, physiological, genetic, genomic, and/or computational methods, is encouraged, as is research at the interfaces of biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics and computer science, and engineering.

This cluster includes the scientific themes of eukaryotic genetics, microbial genetics, and biochemistry of gene expression.

Point of Contact: Genes and Genome Systems Program Officers