Advisor

Munira Muhammad Abdel Baqui Ms 3 Tel.: (16) 3315-3059 / 3315-0470 Email: munira@fmrp.usp.br » Currículo Lattes » Fapesp

General outline

The laboratory focuses on the characterization of novel cytoskeleton proteins of relevant pathogens such as Leishmania, Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei and on cellular and molecular interactions with the host cells.

Reasearch areas

1) Project: Characterization of cellular compartments during infection with Trypanosoma cruzi.

Trypanosomatids have developed a range of strategies for subverting innate host immunity and we are interested in characterizing the cellular and molecular changes that the host cell responds to due to the presence of the parasite, both in  the cytoplasm and in the nucleus.

We employ numerous cell biology techniques such as fluorescence and confocal microscopy in fixed and living cells using cell compartment markers, western blotting, RNAseq, and image analysis in specific software. Also for the study of cell interactions we produce recombinant protein constructions, RNAi silencing and gene editing using Crispr/Cas9. 

2) Project: To characterize new proteins and genes of the relevant pathogen cytoskeleton such as Leishmania major, Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei.

Trypanosomatids represent an interesting model for analyzing basic cytoskeletal issues, providing a better understanding of the evolution of higher eukaryotes.

We recently characterized the protein FAZ10 in T. brucei. This protein plays a role in cleavage furrow positioning during cell division and its absence leads to errors generating multinucleated cells or zoid cells without nucleus (Moreira et al, 2017). We are focus now in identifying the molecular partners that interact with FAZ10 in the cytoskeleton.

Related projects involve polyclonal antibody production, immunofluorescence, confocal, electron microscopy, western blotting, cloning, recombinant protein constructs, transfections, interference RNA (RNAi), gene editing via Crispr / Cas9, protein-protein interaction, analyzes bioinformatics among others.

Contact us to know more about our projects in the lab

Lab Cast

PhD students:

1. Camila Gachet de Castro. Projeto, Bolsista CAPES.
2. Lays Adrianne Mendonça Trajano Silva, Bolsista CNPq

Master Students: 

1. 1. Raul Alexander Gonzáles Córdova, Bolsista CNPq.
   2. Cleidy Mirela Osorio Mogollón, Bolsista CNPq.

Undergrad Students: 

1. 1. Aylla Krebs von Ermland, Estudante de Biologia, FFCLRP/USP, Bolsa PUB/USP.
   2. Giovana Comper, estudante de Medicina, UNAERP, Bolsista PIBIC, CNPq.
   3. Thamires Rossi dos Santos, estudante de Biologia, FFCLRP/USP.
   4. Daiane Cristina da Silva, Estudante de Fisioterapia, FMRP/USP.

Technical assistant: 

Carol Kobori, Ms.C.

Relevante Publications

Moreira, B.P., C.K. Fonseca, T.C. Hammarton, and M.M. Baqui. 2017. Giant FAZ10 is required for flagellum attachment zone stabilization and furrow positioning in Trypanosoma brucei. J Cell Sci. 130:1179-1193.

Moreira B.P., De Castro CG, Prado, LC, Fonseca C.K., and Baqui, M.M.A. (2017). Use of antibodies from the same host species in double labeling immunofluorescence on trypanosome cytoskeleton. Microscopy and imaging science: practical approaches to applied research and education (A. Méndez-Vilas, Ed.), pag 374-378, série 7, ISBN 9788494213496, Editora Formatex Research Center.

Baqui M.M.A, Milder R.V., Mortara R.A. and Pudles J. (2000). In vivo and in vitro phosphorylation  subcellular localization of trypanosomatid cytoskeletal giant proteins. Cell Motility and Cytoskeleton 47: 25-37. 

More publications

» Scholar

Opportunities

The laboratory has available positions for Master, Ph.D and Scientific Initiation for different projects in the laboratory. Contact Profa. Munira (munira@fmrp.usp.br, phone 16-3315.3059).