Head Maria JERKA-DZIADOSZ Staff Anna KRZYWICKA-RACKA, Paweł POMORSKI, Izabela STRZYZEWSKA-JÓWKO, Dorota SUPŁAT, Berenika TARGOS, Irmina SZABLEWSKA (technician)

Research profile

Cytoskeleton characteristics in normal and modified morphogenesis in wild type and morphogenetic mutants of ciliates: Paramecium tetraurelia, Tetrahymena thermophila, genomics of Paramecium and Tetrahymena and functional analysis of genes essential for morphogenesis using RNAi, knockout and overexpression. The role of cytoskeleton in formation of calcium signal in eukaryotic cell is studied using as a model system the response of glia cells to stimulation of nucleotide receptors as well as the interrelations between cytoskeleton, calcium signalling and cell motility.

Current research activities

• ultrastructural analysis of Tetrahymena phenotypes of transformants expressing polyglycylation and glutamylation modifications in tubulins, and analysis of mutants in NIMA-Related–Kinases.
• participation in the European Research Program: "Paramecium genomics" (GDRE Paramecium genomics): Annotation and in silico analysis of 5 septin genes of Paramecium. Silencing of SEP2 and TCP1 genes in Paramecium using RNA inactivation by feeding. Ultrastructural modifications in basal body structure after inactivation of SAS genes.
• functional analysis of septin-like genes in Paramecium by RNAi and in Tetrahymena using knockouts and overexpression of the respective genes.
• in cooperation with University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece, as a part of sixth EU frame programme we realize project devoted to use of RNAi for switching off selected nucleotide receptors in glia cells.
• mutual modulation between RhoA regulated actomyosin contractility and calcium signal formation.

Selected publications

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