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| Linda A. Hufnagel |
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| Professor |
| Director, Rhode Island Cilioprotist Micrograzer Survey (RICMS) © |
| 417 Morrill Science Bldg. |
| Phone: 401-874-5914 |
| Email: lhufnagel@uri.edu |
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| Education: |
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- Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania, 1967
- M.A. University of Vermont, 1963
- B.A. University of Vermont, 1961
- NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale U., 1967-69
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| Courses: |
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- MIC 521, Recent Advances in Cell and Molecular Biology A seminar course, next offered-Fall, 2011; topic: Genetics, Genomics and Gene Expression Libraries in Eukaryotic Cell Models
- MIC 211, Introductory Microbiology Next offered-Spring, 2012.
- MIC/BIO 306/506, Eukaryotic Microbiology/Protistology Next offered-TBA
- MIC 447, Experimental Cell Biology A laboratory course, next offered-TBA.
- MIC 409, Marine Micrograzers A laboratory course, next offered-TBA.
- MIC 102, Exploring the Microbial World. Next offered-TBA
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| Research: |
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1)Functional analysis of nerve cells of Cnidarians using immunocytochemistry, molecular biology and genomic analyses. 2) Homologues in Tetrahymena of proteins important in human diseases such as malaria and babesiosis. 3) Genomic and RNA interference (RNAi) studies aimed at identifying key proteins important in early and late-stage events of conjugation in Tetrahymena
1) Spatial analysis of the signaling pathways that control nematocyst discharge and tentacle contraction in Hydra (collaborators: G. Kass-Simon and S. Irvine, Biological Sciences, URI); In these studies, we are using immunocytochemistry to characterize the distribution of receptors for excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in tentacles of Hydra, with an emphasis on receptors for glutamate, GABA and glycine. Current studies include a)the analysis of published genomic and gene expression data to identify and characterize glutamate receptors and their expression variants, b) an immunocytochemical analysis of the nerve pathways underlying the glutathione-induced feeding response in Hydra, and c) in situ analysis of the expression of the glutamate NMDA receptor.
2) We are using published gene sequence data to identify homologues in the laboratory organism, Tetrahymena, of proteins that are targets of vaccine development for diseases such as malaria, babesiosis, toxoplasmosis and leishmaniasis, and proteins that are important in DNA repair, developmental abnormalities and cancer, in humans. Currently we are investigating the homologue of pO protein required for invasion of host cells by Toxoplasma gondii, as well as the homologue of FANCM, a protein implicated in Fanconi's anemia.
3)Identification and spatial/temporal characterization of cell-cell signaling and signal transduction pathways that control mating activity and mating type determination in ciliated protists; molecular aspects of early cell-cell interactions during conjugation are being investigated using immunocytochemistry, specific inhibitory drugs and in silico analysis of genomes. RNA interference (RNAi)methods are being developed.
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| Collaborators and Sponsors: |
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Prof. G. Kass-Simon, Biol. Sci, University of Rhode Island
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| Lab Information: |
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| Office: |
219 Morrill Science Building |
| Phone: |
401-874-5915 |
| Student Research Opportunities: |
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Openings for both graduate students and undergraduates to do independent study in my laboratory.
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| Selected Publications: |
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Driscoll, C., and Hufnagel, L.A., (1999) Affinity-purification of Concanavalin A-binding ciliary glycoconjugates of starved and feeding Tetrahymena thermophila. J. Euk. Microbiol., in press. Zackroff, R.V. and Hufnagel, L.A. 1998. Relative potencies of different cytochalasins for the inhibition of phagocytosis in ciliates. J. Euk. Microbiol., 45:397-403. Hufnagel, L.A., Studer, L. and Kass-Simon, G. 1997. Localization of GluR 5,6,7 in macerates and tissue pieces of hydra. Proc. 7th Int. Workshop on Hydroid Development, Tutzing, Germany Zackroff, R.V. and Hufnagel, L.A. 1997. Effects of cytochalasins on phagocytosis, contraction and ciliary motility in ciliates. Proc. 10th Int. Congr. Protozool., Sydney, p. 219. Zackroff, R.V. and Hufnagel, L.A. 1997. Relative potencies of different cytochalasins for inhibition of phagocytosis in ciliates. Molec. Biol. Cell. 7:2625. Driscoll, C.A. and Hufnagel, L.A. 1997. Affinity purified ConA-binding ciliary polypeptides from starved and fed Tetrahymena thermophila. J. Euk. Microbiol., abstract in press; full length MS submitted. Hufnagel, L.A. 1996. The Rhode Island Cilioprotist Micrograzer Survey: A student-assisted multimedia archive for teaching, research and environmental management. Newsletter of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey. 3(2):2-4. Cheng, L-J and L.A. Hufnagel, 1992. Ciliary polypeptides and glycoconjugates of wild type and mutant Tetrahymena thermophila: Starved versus nonstarved. Devel. Genet., 13:26-33. Hufnagel, LA, 1992. Conjugation in Tetrahymena thermophila, in Protocols in Protozoology, J.J. Lee and A.T. Soldo, eds, Soc. of Protozool./Allen Press, E2.1. Hufnagel, LA, 1992. Cortical Ultrastructure and chemoreception in ciliated protists (Ciliophora). Micr. Res. Techn. 22:225-264. |
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