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& Staff > Dr. Brian Bothner
Studying Biological Complexity and Protein Structure on Three Different Levels
We are studying geothermal biology from a systems perspective using a proteomics-based
approach. Traditionally, proteins have been studied using a reductionist
approach, however, significant advances in the understanding of thermal biology
can now be made by studying proteins and protein networks at the level of the
functional system. Our research addresses proteomics at three levels of biological
complexity within the aquatic environment. From specific to general
these are; purified Sulfolobus Turreted Icosahedral Virus (STIV), infection
of Sulfolobus solfataricus with STIV, and environmental profiling. Through
the application of high-sensitivity and high-throughput mass spectrometry,
significant advances will be made in understanding the biology of both virus
and host species. Infection of S. solfataricus by STIV leads
to altered protein expression, identifying and quantifying the proteins involved
is a goal of this work. The sensitivity and de novo ability
to identify proteins makes nanoscale liquid chromatography mass spectrometry
(LCMS) the ideal technique for surveying the biocomplexity of geothermal environments
and monitoring changes within the system. The data from our proteomics
studies nicely compliments gene expression experiments being conducted by in
the labs TBI faculty, improving our understanding of thermal environments.
Differential gel analysis of the total protein composition
of Sulfolobus solfataricus during infection by STIV.
Control and infected samples of protein were labeled with different fluorescent
dyes, mixed, and analyzed using 2 dimensional gel electrophoresis. Out of ~2000
host proteins resolved on the gel,
50 were down regulated (Red) and 20 were up regulated
(Blue) by viral infection. Mass spectrometry can be used to identify each of
the proteins. This information will help us to elucidate the
biology of archaeal organisms along with these unique viruses.
Current Lab Personnel:
Walid Maaty, Postdoctoral Associate
Linnzi Furman, Ph.D. Student
Jonathan Hilmer, Ph.D. Student
Geoff Blatter, Undergraduate Student
Mathew Fischer, Undergraduate Student
Laura Tallmon, Undergraduate Student
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