Peggy is a physical biochemist who uses thermodynamics to investigate how chemistry gives rise to function in biological systems. Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 is of interest to scientists due to its ability to utilize a diverse set of nutrients as a source of carbon and nitrogen, and to its high level of competence with regards to natural transformation. Recent findings showed that A. baylyi ADP1 survives starvation induced conditions during long term stationary phase through upregulation of thirty genes, approximately 25% of which are denoted conserved hypothetical genes. Conserved hypothetical genes are those that have been identified through genetic analysis, but have not had a protein product identified. Subsequently, a number of associated genes are encoded in an operon, suggesting that they work together to confer resistance to starvation conditions. The goal of Peggy’s lab is to clone these genes and characterize their biological function. Her lab is initially focusing on genes that have been identified by bioinformatics to encode for enzymes with testable functions. Bioinformatic approaches identified genes that potentially encode for a cysteine protease (gene ACIAD1960), and a triad of genes that occur together which encode a kinase (gene ACIAD1964), and a phosphatase (gene ACIAD1965) and a protein of unknown function (gene ACIAD1966). They have confirmed that gene ACIAD1960, does indeed encode a cysteine protease (4). Specifically, they plan to: (1). Characterize the gene product for ACIAD1960, the cysteine protease, StiP. They will characterize the solution conditions that contribute to maximal activity, including pH, ionic strength, metal ion dependence and contribution of reducing agents. (2). Clone and characterize the gene product for ACIAD1964. They will test the hypothesis that the protein that is encoded by this gene is a kinase, as has been indicated by bioinformatics approaches.(3). Clone and characterize the gene product for ACIAD1965. They will test the hypothesis that the protein that is encoded by this gene is a phosphatase, as has been indicated by bioinformatics approaches. (4). Clone and characterize the gene product for ACIAD1966. They will test the hypothesis that the protein that is encoded by this gene forms a multimeric complex with the gene products of ACIAD1964 and ACIAD1965.