Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors and Pathogens

Mission Statement: Vector-borne diseases particularly those caused by tick-transmitted pathogens including spirochetes are damaging for animal and human health. The laboratory is primarily focused on two research prerogatives, an understanding of the biological drivers associated with vector competence of the tick and pathogen variation at the species and strain level. Our goal is at adapting and harnessing molecular, biochemical and bioinformatic tools that will help us understand such differences in aspects associated with tick physiology, pathogen phenotypes and host susceptibility.  We want to collaborate with important stakeholders in the public/private sector and to utilize our data for diagnostics, treatment or prediction of the future spread of ticks/diseases.

Selected publications:
Strnad M., Oh Y.J., Vancová M., Hain L., Salo J., Grubhoffer L., Nebesářová J., Hytönen J., Hinterdorfer P., Rego R. O. M. (2021) Nanomechanical mechanisms of Lyme disease spirochete motility enhancement in extracellular matrix Communications Biology 4: 268 .
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01783-1
Rudenko N., Golovchenko M., Horák A., Grubhoffer L., Mongodin E.F., Fraser C.M., Qiu W., Luft B., Morgan R.G., Casjens S.R., Schutzer S. (2023) Genomic confirmation of Borrelia garinii in the USA Emerging Infectious Diseases 29: 1.
DOI: 10.3201/eid2901.220930
Zinck C.B., Thampy P.R., Rego R. O. M., Brisson D., Ogden N.H., Voordouw M.J. (2022) Borrelia burgdorferi strain and host sex influence pathogen prevalence and abundance in the tissues of a laboratory rodent host Molecular Ecology 31: 5872–5888.
DOI: 10.1111/mec.16694
Selinger M., Novotný R., Sýs J., Roby J.A., Tykalová H., Ranjani G.S., Vancová M., Jaklová K., Kaufman F., Bloom M.E., Zdráhal Z., Grubhoffer L., Forwood J.K., Hrabal R., Rumlová M., Štěrba J. (2022) Tick-borne encephalitis virus capsid protein induces translational shut-off as revealed by its structural-biological analysis Journal of Biological Chemistry 298: 102585.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102585
Strnad M., Rego R. O. M. (2020) The need to unravel the twisted nature of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex across Europe Microbiology 166: 428–435.
DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000899

All publications (210)

CONTACT

Biology Centre CAS
Institute of Parasitology
Branišovská 1160/31
370 05 České Budějovice

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