Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors and Pathogens
Welcome & What can we offer
Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors and Pathogens studies molecular and cellular factors involved in the mechanism of pathogen transmission by ticks. Lyme borreliosis spirochetes, as well as tick-borne encephalitis virus, are the main focus of research, with respect to protein-carbohydrate interactions, and their interaction with the inner environment of the tick Ixodes ricinus. Molecular ecology of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis, including modern techniques of pathogen diagnosis, has been elaborated. Currently, other tick-borne pathogens are studied as well and the scope of research was further extended to antimicrobial peptides of ticks and other arthoropods and their applicability in human medicine.
Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors and Pathogens is a joint laboratory of the Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice and at the Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice.
How can you access
General questions
Jarmila Štěrbová, dupejj00@prf.jcu.cz
Libor Grubhoffer, liborex@prf.jcu.cz
phone: +420 777 6220
http://www.prf.jcu.cz/infbiol/
Head: Libor Grubhoffer, liborex@prf.jcu.cz
Staff: Jarmila Štěrbová, Kateryna Kotsarenko, Nataliia Rudenko, Ryan Rego, Maryna Golovchenko, Zuzana Vavrušková
Customer registration
Please, fill in the short registration form
The information will be used (i) for your identification as a customer of our infrastructure (ii) for contacting you in case we will need more information about your samples.
Analytical services
Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors and Pathogens provides detection and identification of tick-borne pathogens, analyses of their interactions with ticks and hosts, transmission of tick-borne pathogens to mammalian hosts, and identification and analyses of antimicrobial peptides. Please contact us regarding the availability of different models.
Fluorescent and electron microscopy analyses are also provided – please contact us on availability, if you are interested.
Laboratory has access to BSL2 and BSL lab space, both including animal facility (mice).
Host and vector response to infection
Bacterial and viral infections affect the infected cells and organisms by many ways. The process of infection, effects on the infected cells on the level of mRNA and proteins can be studied, rate of infection etc. Antiviral cellular response can be assessed as well.
Molecular ecology and epidemiology
Temporal and spatial distribution of tick-borne and other pathogens can be performed by several approaches, including a possibility to identify the hosts of the ticks. Genetic variability of the pathogens can be performed as well. This information is important for prediction of a risk of pathogen transmission. Analyses can be performed on samples provided by the customer.
Antimicrobial peptides
Services include identification of antimicrobial molecules in genomic/transcriptomic data, their production and analyses of their antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial molecules comprise a wide group of peptide types from many different organisms. Please contact us regarding the molecules and organisms you are interested in.
Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors and Pathogens
University of South Bohemia & Biology Centre of ASCR
Head: Prof. Libor Grubhoffer
Profile:
Our group studies molecular and cellular factors involved in the mechanism of pathogen transmission by ticks. Lyme borreliosis spirochetes, as well as tick-borne encephalitis virus, are the main focus of research, with respect to protein-carbohydrate interactions, and their interaction with the inner environment of tick Ixodes ricinus. Molecular ecology of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis, including modern techniques of pathogen diagnosis, has been elaborated.
Selected Publications:
- Villar M, Ayllon N, Kocan KM, Bonzon-Kulichenko E, Alberdi P, Blouin EF, Weisheit S, Mateos-Hernandez L, Cabezas-Cruz A, Bell-Sakyi L, Vancova M, Bily T, Meyer DF, Sterba J, Contreras M, Rudenko N, Grubhoffer L, Vazquez J, de la Fuente J, 2015: Identification and characterization of Anaplasma phagocytophilum proteins involved in infection of the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. PLOS ONE 10: e0137237.
- Schnettler E, Tykalova H, Watson M, Sharma M, Sterken MG, Obbard DJ, Lewis SH, McFarlane M, Bell-Sakyi L, Barry G, Weisheit S, Best SM, Kuhn RJ, Pijlman GP, Chase-Toppong ME, Gould EA, Grubhoffer L, Fazakerley JK, Kohl A, 2014: Induction and suppression of tick cell antiviral RNAi responses by tick-borne flaviviruses. NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH 42:9436-9446.
- Cerny J, Bolfikova BC, Valdes JJ, Grubhoffer L, Ruzek D, 2014: Evolution of Tertiary Structure of Viral RNA Dependent Polymerases. PLOS ONE 9:e96070.
C4Sys Open Access Infrastructure: (complete list)
- Autoflex speed MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer (Bruker) (Protein Science Instrument)
- nanoAcquity UPLC-ESI-QTOF Premier mass spectrometer (Waters) (Protein Science Instrument)
- Ultimate 3000 RSLC HPLC-LTQ Velos Pro mass spectrometer (Thermo Scientific) (Protein Science Instrument)
- IEF 100 (Hoefer), TransBlot (Bio-Rad) (Protein Science Instrument)
- Bioanalyzer Lab-on-a-Chip (Agilent) (Protein Science Instrument)
- Alliance 4.7 gel documentation system (Uvitec) and Syngene G:BOX Chemi XX6 (Protein Science Instrument)
- Himax CP90WX ultracentrifuge (Hitachi) (Protein Science Instrument)
- SealSafe Next IVC Blue Line mouse caging system (Tecniplast) (Animal facility)
- S3 cell sorter (Bio-Rad) (Cell Biology Instrument)
Bioinformatics Software
Bioinformatics Databases
Protein Science Instruments
- Autoflex speed MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer (Bruker) (Protein Science Instrument)
- nanoAcquity UPLC-ESI-QTOF Premier mass spectrometer (Waters) (Protein Science Instrument)
- Ultimate 3000 RSLC HPLC-LTQ Velos Pro mass spectrometer (Thermo Scientific) (Protein Science Instrument)
- IEF 100 (Hoefer), TransBlot (Bio-Rad) (Protein Science Instrument)
- Bioanalyzer Lab-on-a-Chip (Agilent) (Protein Science Instrument)
- Alliance 4.7 gel documentation system (Uvitec) and Syngene G:BOX Chemi XX6 (Protein Science Instrument)
- Himax CP90WX ultracentrifuge (Hitachi) (Protein Science Instrument)
Biophysical Instruments
Molecular Biology Instruments
Cell Biology Instruments
- S3 cell sorter (Bio-Rad) (Cell Biology Instrument)
Analytical chemistry instrument
Animal facility
- SealSafe Next IVC Blue Line mouse caging system (Tecniplast) (Animal facility)
CATEGORIES:
- Bioinformatics Software
- Bioinformatics Databases
- Protein Science Instruments
- Biophysical Instruments
- Molecular Biology Instruments
- Cell Biology Instruments
- … add more categories as needed
- Analytical chemistry instrument
- Animal facility