Current Members
Anne Grove
Ouachita Parish Chapter Alumni Professor
We are focusing on how proteins bind to DNA to control cellular function, including processes such as gene expression and bacterial virulence.
One focus is on architectural proteins that control compaction of genomic DNA, including the eukaryotic High Mobility Group (HMGB) proteins. We are currently pursuing the role of the yeast HMGB protein Hmo1p in stabilizing chromatin and regulating gene expression in response to cellular stress.
We also focus on a group of bacterial transcriptional regulators designated MarR (for Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator) and the mechanism by which the binding of ligand or the oxidation of cysteine controls their ability to regulate gene expression. A particular emphasis is on a subset of these transcriptional factors that bind the ligand urate and on the role of urate in signaling host colonization.
Nabanita Bhattacharyya
Postdoctoral Researcher/Instructor
I just love Vibrios….and teaching BIOL 1001!
Publications:
Bhattacharyya, N., Lemon, T. L. and Grove, A. A role for Vibrio vulnificus PecS during hypoxia. Sci. Rep. 9, 2797 (2019).
Muneera Mashkoor
Graduate Student
I like change and thus I am trying to change the sequence of binding site for some transcription factors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using CRISPR/Cas9 genetic engineering tool.
Publications:
Kumar, S., Mashkoor, M., Balamurugan, P. and Grove, A. Yeast Crf1p is an activator with different roles in regulation of target genes. Yeast 41, 379-400 (2024).
Kumar, S., Mashkoor, M. and Grove, A. Yeast Crf1p: An activator in need is an activator indeed. Comp. Struct. Biotechnol. J. 20, 107-116 (2022).
Kumar, S., Mashkoor, M., Balamurugan, P. and Grove, A. Intricate regulation of ribosome biogenesis genes in response to mTORC1 signaling. bioRxiv. (2021).
Elaine Nkwocha
Graduate Student
enkwoc1@lsu.edu
Brave space with Elaine - mentoring
Biofilm formation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of chronic infections and redox homeostasis plays a role in biofilm morphology. In the species Burkholderia thailandensis, biofilm formation is a severe complication and makes bacteria resistant to host defenses and antibiotics. My research is focused on determining the mechanisms by which a redox sensitive biofilm regulator protein (BifR) impacts bacterial physiology and fitness. BifR is encoded as part of the emrB-bifR operon, where emrB encodes a predicted efflux pump, and the locus is conserved among the more pathogenic Burkholderia species.
Ahmed Al-Tohamy
Graduate Student
My research interests lie within the realm of deciphering complex biological systems. Elucidating the etiology and mechanisms of multifactorial phenotypes is exceptionally enigmatic, as it arises from the interplay of intrinsic genetic pathways and extrinsic environmental factors.
One focus of my current research is to identify global transcriptional regulator MftR DNA binding loci in Burkholderia thailandensis using ChIP-seq. Another direction of my research is to understand 3D genomic organization under stress conditions using Hi-C technique. Protein–nucleic acid dynamic interactions along with 3D genomic architecture are key regulatory players that can shed the light on understanding multifactorial phenotypes and crucial biological processes.
Changes in gene expression (mRNA levels) may not always correspond to changes in protein levels. Therefore, I am currently working on quantitative proteome analysis approach using mass spectrometry to provide a better understanding of global proteomic dynamics under different conditions.
I also have a deep interest in applying computational approaches and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to boost the performance in the analysis of complex biological networks. The overall goal of my research is discovering novel strategies to combat drug resistant microbes.
Publications:
Al-Tohamy, A. and Grove, A. Targeting Bacterial Transcription Factors for Infection Control: Opportunities and Challenges. Transcription. In press. (2024).
Thapa, S. S., Al-Tohamy, A., Grove, A. The global regulator MftR controls virulence and siderophore production in Burkholderia thailandensis. J. Bacteriol. 204, e0023722 (2022).
Arpita Ghosh
Graduate Student
Currently I am trying to figure out the substrate of efflux pump PecM in Agrobacterium.
Publications:
Nwokocha, G., Ghosh, A. and Grove, A. Regulation of bacterial virulence genes by PecS family transcription factors. J. Bacteriol. 206, e00302-24 (2024).
Sivapragasam, S., Ghosh, A., Kumar, S., Johnson, D. T., Grove, A. Similar solutions to a common challenge: Regulation of genes encoding Ralstonia solanacearum xanthine dehydrogenase. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 368, fnab022 (2021).
Erin LeBoeuf
Graduate Student
The title of my Dissertation? Urate-responsive transcription factors and where to find them.....
Sarmin Akter
Graduate Student
My research aim is to reveal the regulatory roles of a MarR (Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator) transcription factor in the gene expression of an efflux pump in Burkholderia thailandensis.
Yasodha Gamage
Graduate Student
I am very curious basically about the gene expression in Burkholderia thailandensis under anaerobic conditions, when given different treatments...
Md. Saiful Islam
Graduate Student
Kaedyn Baker
Undergraduate Student
My research focuses on determining the role of cysteine residues in the super-repressor phenotype of BifR in Burkholderia thailandensis.