A5025898318- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Prion Diseases and Protein Misfolding
- Porphyrin Metabolism and Disorders
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Hemoglobin structure and function
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Algal biology and biofuel production
- Amino Acid Enzymes and Metabolism
- Diffusion and Search Dynamics
- vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
- Trace Elements in Health
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
Harvard University
2020-2024
Kiel University
2019-2023
Boston VA Research Institute
2020
Columbia College
2015
German Primate Center
2014
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection is associated with a high case-fatality rate, and the potential pandemic spread of virus public health concern. The spike protein MERS-CoV (MERS-S) facilitates viral entry into host cells, which depends on activation MERS-S by cellular proteases. Proteolytic during uptake target cells has been demonstrated. However, it unclear whether also cleaved S synthesis in infected cleavage required for infectivity. Here, we show that...
Filament-forming proteins in bacteria function stabilization and localization of proteinaceous complexes replicons; hence they are instrumental for myriad cellular processes such as cell division growth. Here we present two novel filament-forming cyanobacteria. Surveying cyanobacterial genomes coiled-coil-rich (CCRPs) that predicted putative proteins, observed a higher proportion CCRPs filamentous cyanobacteria comparison to unicellular Using our predictions, identified nine protein families...
Cyanobacteria are unique among the eubacteria as they possess a hybrid Gram phenotype, having an outer membrane but also comparably thick peptidoglycan sheet. Furthermore, cyanobacterial divisome includes proteins specific for both types well cyanobacteria-specific proteins. Cells in multicellular cyanobacteria share continuous periplasm and their cytoplasms connected by septal junctions that enable communication between cells filament. The localization of junction depends on interaction...
Prions are self-propagating protein aggregates formed by specific proteins that can adopt alternative folds. were discovered as the cause of fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in mammals, but prions also constitute nontoxic protein-based elements inheritance fungi and other species. Prion propagation has recently been shown to occur bacteria for more than a hundred cell divisions, yet fraction cells these lineages lost prion through an unknown mechanism. Here, we investigate...
Small cryptic plasmids have no clear effect on the host fitness and their functional repertoire remains obscure. The naturally competent cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 harbours several small plasmids; whether evolution with this species is supported by horizontal transfer understudied. Here, we show that plasmid DNA transferred in population exclusively natural transformation, where frequency of plasmid-encoded genes similar to chromosome-encoded genes. Establishing a system...
The synthesis of proteins as encoded in the genome depends critically on translational fidelity. Nevertheless, errors inevitably occur, and those that result reading frame shifts are particularly consequential because resulting polypeptides typically nonfunctional. Despite generally maladaptive impact such errors, proper decoding certain mRNAs, including many viral a process known programmed ribosomal frameshifting. fact these events, commonly involving shift to –1 frame, occur at specific...
Multiseriate and true‐branching cyanobacteria are at the peak of prokaryotic morphological complexity. However, little is known about mechanisms governing multiplanar cell division morphogenesis. Here, we study function cytoskeletal proteins, MreB FtsZ in Fischerella muscicola PCC 7414 Chlorogloeopsis fritschii 6912. Vancomycin HADA labeling revealed a mixed apical, septal, lateral trichome growth mode F. , whereas C. exhibits septal growth. In all morphotypes from both species, forms either...
Lateral gene transfer plays an important role in the evolution of genetic diversity prokaryotes. DNA via natural transformation depends on ability recipient cells to actively transport from environment into cytoplasm, termed competence, which relies presence type IV pili and other competence proteins. Natural has been described cyanobacteria for several organisms, including unicellular filamentous species. However, that differentiate specialized N2-fixation (heterocysts) form branching or...
Polymerizing and filament-forming proteins are instrumental for numerous cellular processes such as cell division growth. Their function in stabilization localization of protein complexes replicons is achieved by a filamentous structure. Known assemble into homopolymers consisting single subunits - example, MreB FtsZ bacteria or heteropolymers that composed two subunits, keratin α/β tubulin eukaryotes. Here, we describe novel coiled-coil-rich (CCRPs) the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120...
Prions are self-propagating protein aggregates formed by specific proteins that can adopt alternative folds. were discovered as the cause of fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in mammals, but prions also constitute non-toxic protein-based elements inheritance fungi and other species. Prion propagation has recently been shown to occur bacteria for more than a hundred cell divisions, yet fraction cells these lineages lost prion through an unknown mechanism. Here, we investigate...
ABSTRACT Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 grows by forming filaments of communicating cells and is considered a paradigm bacterial multicellularity. Molecular exchanges between contiguous in the filament take place through multiprotein channels that traverse septal peptidoglycan nanopores connecting their cytoplasms. Besides, septal-junction complexes contribute to strengthen filament. In search for proteins with coiled-coil domains could provide cytoskeletal functions , we identified SepT (All2460)....
Abstract Polymerizing and filament-forming proteins are instrumental for numerous cellular processes such as cell division growth. Their function in stabilization localization of protein complexes replicons is achieved by a filamentous structure. Known assemble into homopolymers consisting single subunits – e.g. MreB FtsZ bacteria or heteropolymers that composed two subunits, keratin α/β tubulin eukaryotes. Here, we describe novel coiled-coil-rich (CCRPs) the filament forming cyanobacterium...
Abstract Lateral DNA transfer plays an important role in the evolution of genetic diversity prokaryotes. acquisition via transformation involves uptake from environment. The ability recipient cells to actively transport into cytoplasm – termed natural competence depends on presence type IV pili and proteins. Natural has been described cyanobacteria for several organisms including unicellular filamentous species. However, ramified cyanobacteria, which are considered peak cyanobacterial...
Methods for detecting and dissecting the interactions of virally encoded proteins are essential probing basic viral biology providing a foundation therapeutic advances. The dearth targeted therapeutics treatment coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an ongoing global health crisis, underscores importance gaining deeper understanding by severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here, we describe use convenient bacterial cell-based two-hybrid (B2H) system to analyze SARS-CoV-2 proteome....
Abstract Filament-forming proteins in bacteria function stabilization and localization of proteinaceous complexes replicons; hence they are instrumental for myriad cellular processes such as cell division growth. Here we present two novel filament-forming cyanobacteria. Surveying cyanobacterial genomes coiled-coil-rich (CCRPs) that predicted putative proteins, observed a higher proportion CCRPs filamentous cyanobacteria comparison to unicellular Using our predictions, identified nine protein...
Abstract Methods for detecting and dissecting the interactions of virally encoded proteins are essential probing basic viral biology providing a foundation therapeutic advances. The dearth targeted therapeutics treatment COVID-19, an ongoing global health crisis, underscores importance gaining deeper understanding SARS-CoV-2-encoded proteins. Here we describe use convenient bacteria-based two-hybrid (B2H) system to analyze SARS-CoV-2 proteome. We identify sixteen distinct intraviral...