Newcastle University

Research Interests

We use the model organism Bacillus subtilis to study the regulation of DNA replication initiation. We have discovered that the highly conserved Soj/ParA protein regulates the AAA+ DNA replication initiator protein DnaA, and we have proposed that Soj/ParA acts as a molecular switch to control DnaA activity (Murray and Errington, 2008). Using a combination of genetics, cell biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry, we are investigating the mechanism of DnaA regulation by Soj/ParA and the cellular signals that govern the Soj/ParA switch. Our long-term goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms that coordinate bacterial DNA replication initiation with cell growth and division.

Postgraduate Supervision

Mr Graham Scholefield Mres/PhD student

Esteem Indicators

Royal Society University Research Fellow (2009-2014)

Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowship (2005-2007)

European Molecular Biology Organization Postdoctoral Fellowship (2004)

USA National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship (2004; declined)

UW-Madison Genetics Department Schlimgen Award (2003)

National Institutes of Health Genetics Training Fellowship (1998-2001)

Howard Hughes Undergraduate Research Fellowship (1996, 1997)

University of California Regents Scholarship (1994-1998)

• Scholefield G, Veening JW, Murray H. DnaA and ORC: more than DNA replication initiators. Trends in Cell Biology 2011, 21(3), 188-194.
• Scholefield G, Whiting R, Errington J, Murray H. Spo0J regulates the oligomeric state of Soj to trigger its switch from an activator to an inhibitor of DNA replication initiation. Molecular Microbiology 2011, 79(4), 1089-1100.
• Veening JW, Murray H, Errington J. A mechanism for cell cycle regulation of sporulation initiation in Bacillus subtilis. Genes & Development 2009, 23(16), 1959-1970.
• Engl C, Jovanovic G, Lloyd LJ, Murray H, Spitaler M, Ying LM, Errington J, Buck M. In vivo localizations of membrane stress controllers Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology 2009, 73(3), 382-396.
• Murray HD, Errington J. Dynamic Control of the DNA Replication Initiation Protein DnaA by Soj/ParA. Cell 2008, 135(1), 74-84.
• Murray H, Ferreira H, Errington J. The bacterial chromosome segregation protein Spo0J spreads along DNA from parS nucleation sites. Molecular Microbiology 2006, 61(5), 1352-1361.
• Errington J, Murray H, Wu LJ. Diversity and redundancy in bacterial chromosome segregation mechanisms. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2005, 360(1455), 497-505.
• Murray HD, Gourse RL. Unique roles of the rrn P2 rRNA promoters in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology 2004, 52(5), 1375-1387.
• Stokes NR, Murray HD, Subramaniam C, Gourse RL, Louis P, Bartlett W, Miller S, Booth IR. A role for mechanosensitive channels in survival of stationary phase: Regulation of channel expression by RpoS. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United states of America 2003, 100(26), 15959-15964.
• Murray HD, Schneider DA, Gourse RL. Control of rRNA Expression by Small Molecules Is Dynamic and Nonredundant. Molecular Cell 2003, 12(1), 125-134.