| Hajduk, Stephen | E-mail: shajduk@bmb.uga.edu | | Analysis of the function of RNA editing in the mitochondrion of African trypanosomes using a combination of biochemical, proteomic, informatic and molecular approaches. Evaluation of the mechanism of human innate immunity to African trypanosomes. | | Keywords: RNA Editing; Mitochondrial Biogenesis; African Trypanosomes; Innate Immunity; High Density Lipoproteins |
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| Sabatini, Robert | E-mail: rsabatini@bmb.uga.edu | | We are trying understand how the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, regulates telomeric gene expression and evades the host immune response. Our current focus is on the role of the novel DNA base, base J, in regulating telomeric homologous recombination events (a major mechanism | | Keywords: Biosynthesis and function of modified DNA. Regulation of gene expression, DNA recombination and parasite pathogenesis. African and South American Trypanosomes. |
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| Scott, Robert | E-mail: rscott@uga.edu | | Biophysical analysis of metallobiochemical systems using X-ray absorption spectroscopy; systems biology approaches to discovery of transcriptional regulation of microbiological hydrogen production as part of an alternative energy project. | | Keywords: biophysics
systems biology
biohydrogen
alternative energy
proteomics
protein-DNA interaction |
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| Terns, Michael | E-mail: mterns@bmb.uga.edu | Two major research projects in the Terns Lab:
- Telomerase and cancer: We are investigating the regulation of the biogenesis and transport of the telomerase RNP, a key molecule in the processes of aging and cancer. Telomerase maintains telomeres at the ends of chromosomes. Telomerase activity and telomere length are lost with aging, resulting in cell senescence and death. In order to be able to grow indefinitely, nearly all cancer cells re-activate telomerase. Thus telomerase is a promising target for anti-cancer and anti-aging therapies. In cancer cells, we have found that the two essential components of telomerase (telomerase RNA and TERT) travel distinct, cell cycle-regulated pathways within the nucleus that culminate in co-localization at telomeres during S phase for telomere synthesis. We are working to identify the factors responsible for the regulated activity of telomerase in normal and cancer cells.
- Virus defense in prokaryotes: All bacteria (including human pathogens) are subject to attack by viruses and other genome invaders. We are working to delineate a newly-identified RNA-mediated pathway that protects bacteria and archaea from viruses and other invaders. The pathway appears to parallel the eukaryotic RNAi pathway and is referred to as "prokaryotic RNAi". This is a very exciting new research area with significant biomedical and biotechnological importance.
| | Keywords: non-coding RNAs, RNA-protein complexes, regulation of telomerase, cancer, RNAi, virus defense |
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| Urbauer, Jeffrey | E-mail: urbauer@chem.uga.edu | | Our research focuses on protein structure and function and protein-protein interactions. We employ an approach combining modern analytical, biophysical and molecular biology techniques, with an emphasis on biomolecular NMR spectroscopy. Our core projects include the study of gene regulation and novel regulators of transcription initiation in bacteria, oxidative stress and calcium signaling, steroid hormone (estrogen) receptor activation, and regulation of biofilm formation and pathogenesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These projects are important fundamentally, and they important biomedically with respect to antibiotic target development, oxidative stress and biological aging, and diseases such as breast cancer and cystic fibrosis. | | Keywords: Transcription regulation, steroid hormone receptors, estrogen receptor, breast cancer, oxidative stress, calcium signaling, calmodulin, NMR spectroscopy, physical biochemistry |
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| Wells, Lance | E-mail: lwells@ccrc.uga.edu | | Our laboratory is interested in how post-translational modifications of proteins increase functional diversity. Primarily, we are interested in glycosylation, with a focus on 1. O-GlcNAc in Type II diabetes and stem cell biology , 2. O-Mannosylation in Congenital Muscular Dystrophy and viral entry into host cells, 3. Glycoproteins as biomarkers in human disease, specifically pancreatic cancer and metabolic syndrome, 4. Development of technology-based approaches, primarily mass-spectrometry, for quantitive proteomics/glycomics/glycoproteomics. | | Keywords: O-glycoslyation, type II diabetes, congenital muscular dystrophy, cancer, glyco/proteomics. |
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