RESEARCH PROJECTS in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans
Our most recent research in the yeast Saccharomyces has focused on the small molecule inositol pyrophosphate, aka, IP7. Inositol pyrophosphates are important regulatory molecules found in eukaryotes that affect a wide range of cellular processes. We found a novel phosphatase necessary to degrade this compound - it was unexpected! Elizabeth Steidle characterized this SIW14-encoded phosphatase to discover that it is specific for IP7 (JBC paper). We collaborated with the laboratory of Stephen Shears to examine the structure (JBC paper). Victoria Morrissette and Elizabeth examined the resistance to a variety of environmental stressors and looked at gene expression changes in the mutant to explain the phenotypes, and found increased nuclear localization of the stress response transcription factor Msn2 (JBC paper). Victoria put those findings in a broader context in this review article (Current Genetics paper). Current work is examining mechanisms for regulating the activity of the Siw14 phosphatase as well as to alter pools of IP7.
Another project investigates how the yeast Saccharomyces senses the abundance of nucleotides as well as other nutrients as they make decisions to continue dividing or to enter stationary phase. Much of the lab's work in the past has been to investigating how transcription of the genes for nucleotide synthesis is regulated. We studied the transcription factors Bas1 and Pho2, and the intracellular signal. Saccharomyces is a model organism that is exceptionally well-suited for molecular, genetic and biochemical approaches.
Our recent research in Candida albicans has been to investigate the links between nutrient sensing, gene expression changes and filamentation. We extended our studies to investigate the roles for the genes BAS1 and GRF10 encoding transcription factors in the human commensal Candida albicans. Anup Ghosh and Tanaporn (Gift) Wangsanut discovered that Grf10 is important for filamentation and virulence (FEMS Yeast Research paper). Gift found that both factors are important for regulation of adenylate biosynthesis and one carbon metabolism (mSphere paper). Gift worked with undergraduate student Josh Tobin to map functional regions of Grf10 important for activation and nuclear localization (mSphere paper). On-going work is investigating gene expression changes in response to nutrient depletion.
Our most recent research in the yeast Saccharomyces has focused on the small molecule inositol pyrophosphate, aka, IP7. Inositol pyrophosphates are important regulatory molecules found in eukaryotes that affect a wide range of cellular processes. We found a novel phosphatase necessary to degrade this compound - it was unexpected! Elizabeth Steidle characterized this SIW14-encoded phosphatase to discover that it is specific for IP7 (JBC paper). We collaborated with the laboratory of Stephen Shears to examine the structure (JBC paper). Victoria Morrissette and Elizabeth examined the resistance to a variety of environmental stressors and looked at gene expression changes in the mutant to explain the phenotypes, and found increased nuclear localization of the stress response transcription factor Msn2 (JBC paper). Victoria put those findings in a broader context in this review article (Current Genetics paper). Current work is examining mechanisms for regulating the activity of the Siw14 phosphatase as well as to alter pools of IP7.
Another project investigates how the yeast Saccharomyces senses the abundance of nucleotides as well as other nutrients as they make decisions to continue dividing or to enter stationary phase. Much of the lab's work in the past has been to investigating how transcription of the genes for nucleotide synthesis is regulated. We studied the transcription factors Bas1 and Pho2, and the intracellular signal. Saccharomyces is a model organism that is exceptionally well-suited for molecular, genetic and biochemical approaches.
Our recent research in Candida albicans has been to investigate the links between nutrient sensing, gene expression changes and filamentation. We extended our studies to investigate the roles for the genes BAS1 and GRF10 encoding transcription factors in the human commensal Candida albicans. Anup Ghosh and Tanaporn (Gift) Wangsanut discovered that Grf10 is important for filamentation and virulence (FEMS Yeast Research paper). Gift found that both factors are important for regulation of adenylate biosynthesis and one carbon metabolism (mSphere paper). Gift worked with undergraduate student Josh Tobin to map functional regions of Grf10 important for activation and nuclear localization (mSphere paper). On-going work is investigating gene expression changes in response to nutrient depletion.