Mgr. Ondřej Gahura, Ph.D.
Funkce: Odborný pracovník - Laboratoř funkční biologie protist
Telefon:
+420 387775429
E-mail:
gahura@paru.cas.cz
Místnost:
PARU II, 2.05
Our research focuses on the structure, function and evolution of large macromolecular complexes in mitochondria of the parasitic protist Trypanosoma brucei.
ATP synthase
In T. brucei, the mitochondrial ATP synthase switches from the ATP producer in the insect life cycle stage to the ATP consumer maintaing the essential potential on the inner mitochondrial membrane in the infectious mammalian bloodstream form. This unique functional adaptation is accompanied by highly divergent structure. We combine structural and functional approaches to get insight into the role of ATP synthase in trypanosomal bioenergetics and mitochondrial morphology during the life cycle.
Mitochondrial ribosomes
Ribosomes, highly conserved machines fundamental for all life forms, were recently shown to undergo unexpected diversification in endosymbiotic organelles with vestigial genomes. The most divergent ribosomes are found in the mitochondria of parasitic protists from the group of Kinetoplastids, including trypanosomes. We complement the wealth of structural information on mitoribosomes and their precursors obtained by cryoEM with functional approaches to get detailed insight into lineage specific features of translation in mitochondria of trypanosomes. We aim to understand how the divergent mitoribosomes co-evolved with the peculiar context of the mitochondrial gene expression in the parasite.
2013 - present Postdoctoral associate, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Ceske Budejovice (Dr. A. Zikova)
2013-2017 Visiting scientist, Mitochondrial Biology Unit, MRC, Cambridge, UK (Sir John Walker, 18 months in total)
2012 Research associate, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, Switzerland (Prof. F. Stutz, 3 months)
2006-2012 Research assistant, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic (Dr. P. Folk)
2012 Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology, Genetics and Virology, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic (Dr. P. Folk)
2006 M.Sc. in Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic (Dr. P. Folk)
Epigenetika a regulace genové exprese
Přírodovědecká fakulta JČU, České Budějovice
