Group Gang Dong

Structural biology of ciliogenesis and membrane trafficking

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The Question

Our research focuses on three main topics: ciliogenesis, parasitology, and membrane trafficking. Cilia and flagella are conserved organelles in most eukaryotes, which have attracted much attention in recent years because of their role in the transduction of extracellular signals and their association with an expanding number of human disorders. We have also been working on multiple large cytoskeletal protein complexes in human parasites including Trypanosoma brucei, Toxoplasma gondii, and Plasmodium. Membrane trafficking has been a long-lasting interest of us, for which we have focused mainly on vesicle targeting and membrane fusion.

The Approach

The approaches we use to address the scientific questions include molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, etc. We employ the three state-of-the-art structural study methods, X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy and electron microscopy (EM), to determine 3D structures of target biological macromolecules. We also routinely use homology modeling, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), static/dynamic light scattering (SLS/DLS), circular dichroism (CD), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and many other techniques in our studies. Our structural studies are often coupled with site-directed mutagenesis, in vitro biochemical experiments, and in vivo assays to validate our mechanistic hypotheses.

Gang Dong

Gang Dong studied plant pathology in college and biophysics as a master’s student. After obtaining his PhD degree in 2002 from the University of Texas at Austin, he moved to work with Prof. Karin M. Reinisch at the Yale School of Medicine as a postdoc fellow working on membrane trafficking and antigen presentation. He was recruited to the Medical University of Vienna in 2008 to set up his own research group and appointed as the Head of the Division of Molecular Biology in August 2021.

Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9
1030 Vienna
Room: 3.626

+43-1-4277-61625

Spotlights

Bimodular CFAP410 forms a unique tetramer

CFAP410 is a ciliary protein essential for ciliogenesis. Multiple point mutations in human CFAP410 have been identified in patients with severe ciliopathies. Our recent structural studies on three diversified CFAP410 homologs (H. sapiens, C. reinhardtii & T. brucei) reveal that CFAP410 is a bimodular protein forming a unique homo-tetramer. Taking together our in vivo data, we could now provide an explanation how these mutations in CFAP410 cause human diseases (Stadler et al. 2022, bioRxiv).

Initiation of SNARE-mediated membrane fusion

The final step of exocytosis in budding yeast involves the assembly of two t-SNAREs, Sso1/2 and Sec9, with the v-SNARE Snc1/2. The rate-limiting step in this process is the initial formation of a binary complex of the two t-SNAREs. We just reported a new crystal structure of the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of Sec3 (a component of the exocyt tethering complex) in complex with Sso2, which reveals a novel dual-site interaction between Sso2 and Sec3 that plays an essential role in promoting the fusion of secretory vesicles with the plasma membrane. (Peer et al. 2022, eLife).

Gorab: one bird, two nests

Gorab is a well-known golgin at the trans-Golgi network. Interestingly, we found that it also localizes at the centriole to facilitate the assembly of the 9-fold symmetrical cartwheel of the centriole. Our studies reveal that Gorab dimers at the Golgi exist in equilibrium with Sas-6 associated Gorab monomers at the centriole to balance its dual role. (Fatalska*, Stepinac* et al. 2021, eLife).

The first tripartite FPC complex

As the sole site for all endo- and exocytosis in trypanosomes, the flagellar pocket (FP) is essential throughout the life cycle of the parasite.The FP is maintained by the flagellar pocket collar (FPC), which is a condensed cytoskeletal structure around the FP neck and essential for both FP biogenesis and cytokinesis. We recently identified the tripartite interaction among three FPC components (BILBO1, BILBO2 & FPC4) and furhter characterized the atomic details of the interaction between BILBO2 and FPC4. (Isch*, Majneri* et al. 2021, PLoS Pathog.).

The shortest extended synaptotagmin (E-Syt)

E-Syts exist in many eukaryotes including yeasts, plants, and animals. They localize at the membrane contact sites between the ER and the plasma membrane to mediate inter-membrane lipid transfer. We have recently characterized a unique E-Syt from Trypanosoma brucei, which is distinct from all known E-Syts in several aspects. We propose a working model for how TbE-Syt tethers the ER membrane to the plasma membrane in T. brucei (Stepinac et al. 2021, iScience).

A novel dimeric lysine methyltransferase (KMT)

SET-domain lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) play key roles in regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. We recently reported the structure of a novel dimeric KMT, the AKMT protein from the human parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Our work reveals that AKMT is the founding member of a new subclass of KMT and forms the basis for future therapeutic interventions (Pivovarova et al. 2018, J. Mol. Biol.).

Promotion of SNARE assembly by Sec3

We have reported the crystal structure of the t-SNARE Sso2 in complex with Sec3, a component of the exocyst complex that serves as a vesicle tether at the plasma membrane. Our work provides a mechanistic explanation for the initial step of vesicle fusion (Yue*, Zhang* et al. 2017, Nat. Commun.).

Conerved mechanism for Plk4/ZYG-1 recruitment

Polo-like kinase 4 (Plk4) has emerged as a master regulator of centriole duplication. We have reported crystal structures of the cryptic polo box of both Drosophila Plk4 and its C. elegans homolog ZYG-1. Our findings shed light on the conserved molecular mechanism underlying the recruitment of Plk4 and ZYG-1 to the nascent centriole (Shimanovskaya et al. 2014, Structure).

BILBO1: "Lord of the Ring"

Trypanosoma brucei is the causative agent of sleeping sickness that threatens millions of African people. We have unraveled the architecture and assembly of a filamentous cytoskeletal protein named BILBO1, which acts as the scaffold of the flagellar pocket collar of T. brucei and is indispensable to its survival and pathogenicity (Vidilaseris et al. 2020, J. Biol. Chem.; 2014a, J. Biol. Chem.; 2014b, J. Biol. Chem.).

Cooperative action of SAS-6 and SAS-5

Centrioles play essential roles in both centrosome formation and cilium biogenesis. We have carried out structural studies on SAS-5 and SAS-6, two of the five core centriolar proteins. Our work uncovers the specific interaction between them and suggests a mechanism for them to cooperatively facilitate the correct assembly of the 9-fold symmetric centriole (Qiao et al. 2012, EMBO J.).

Joint lab retreat at Mondsee, Austria with Dr. M. Bonhivers' group from University of Bordeaux (17-19 May 2023)

Joint lab retreat at Mondsee, Austria with Dr. M. Bonhivers' group from University of Bordeaux (17-19 May 2023)

Lab retreat at Mondsee, Austria (17-19 May 2023)

Lab retreat at Mondsee, Austria (17-19 May 2023)

Group outing on "Alte Donau" (i.e. old Danube river) close to the United Nation (July 2022)

Group party on a boat (July 2022)

Group lunch in the Oriental Garden in Vienna (July 2022)

Sept 10, 2021: Congratulations, Dr. Yulia Pivovarova

Sept 10, 2021: Congratulations, Dr. Yulia Pivovarova! Поздравляю!

Sept 10, 2021: Congratulations, Dr. Yulia Pivovarova

Sept 10, 2021: Yulia with the committee right after her defense

Congratulations to Emma on completing her PhD study!

July 9, 2021: Congratulations, Dr. Emma Stepinac! Živjeli!

Congratulate Emma on winning one of the Perutz Awards!

Congratulations to Emma on winning one of the Perutz Awards!

Group in 2017

Group photo in 2018

Keni family

What a wonderful family of Keni, who is now a Post-doc at the University of Helsinki

Congratulate Johannes!

Congratulations to Johannes on winning one of the Perutz Awards!

Group lunch

Group lunch at Sichuan Garden, one of the best Asian restaurants in Vienna.

Johannes & Emma

Umm, test great!

A big bite of Johannes

A big bite of Johannes

Fun experiments for children

Fun experiments for children

Congratulations to Katya on completing her PhD study!

Congratulations, Dr. Ekaterina Shimanovskaya!

Congratulate Katya!

Congratulations to Katya on winning the best poster prize at the EMBO meeting!

Congratulate Keni

Congratulations to Keni on winning one of the best poster prizes at the Annual Retreat of the Max F. Perutz Laboratories!

Group photo in 2014

Group photo in 2014

Clara defense group photo

Congratulations, Dr. Clara Pleban!

Group photo in 2012

Group photo in 2012

Lab outing

Lab outing into the forest

Johannes

Johannes was playing hilarious Pantomime at our monthly Happy Hour

Happy Hour Chopsticks

It is our turn to organize a Happy Hour: Let's all take a "Chopstick Challenge"...

Happy Hour 2016

Protein party - stay positive & fit!

Happy Hour 2014

All happy people are wanted: work hard, party harder!

2006

When I was young, I listened to the radio ... ("Yesterday Once More" by the Carpenters, one of my favorite songs)

Team

Kim Ivan Abesamis
PhD Student
+43-1-4277-61626
Room: 3.127

Gang Dong
Group Leader
+43-1-4277-61625
Room: 3.626

Arda Kara
Diploma/Master Student
+43-1-4277-61626
Room: 3.127

George Kobakhidze
PhD Student
+43-1-4277-61626
Room: 3.127

News

(Last six years only)

Sept 22, 2023: Our joint publication with Dr. Brooke Morriswwod on T. brucei Smee1 is published on J. Cell Sci. doi: 10.1242/jcs.261548.

Sept 21, 2023: Our charaterization of how Sec8 interacts with SAP102 is accepted for publication by Front. Cell Dev. Biol. (doi: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1254611)

Aug 1, 2023: Dr. Chen Shen from the the Capital Medical University in Beijing, China joins our group as a visiting research fellow supported by the Österreichischer Austauschdienst (OeAD). Welcome, Chen!

July 1, 2023: Jasmin Berchtold from the University of Vienna starts her bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome, Jasmin!

June 15, 2022: Birgül Pektas (Rose), a bachelor student from the Istanbul Technical University in Turkey joins us as an Erasmus+ student. Welcome, Birgül (Rose)!

June 5, 2023: Our joint publication with Dr. Tschudi's group at Yale University on two proteins that trigger the development of infectious T. brucei is published on PLoS Pathog 19(6): e1011438.

May 8, 2023: Berta Ladinig from the University of Vienna starts her bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome, Berta!

April 6, 2023: A new Preview commenting on recent structural studies on secretory vesicle priming by Ca²⁺-dependent activator proteins for secretion (CAPS) is published on Structure. Dong, Structure (doi:10.1016/j.str.2023.04.007)

Feb 13, 2023: Benjamin Szelestey from the University of Applied Sciences Vienna (FH Technikum Wien) starts his bachelor's thesis in our lab. Welcome, Benjamin!

Feb 13, 2023: Izel Deniz Bilgi, a master's student from the University of Vienna, starts her Wahlbeispiel in our lab. Welcome, Izel!

Sept 22, 2022: A new manuscript reporting our extensive structural studies on three diversified CFAP410 homologs (human, C. reinhardtii and T. brucei) is now posted on bioRxiv: Stadler et al. bioRxiv doi:10.1101/2022.09.21.508879.

Aug 29, 2022: Lynn Wachelder, a bachelor student from the Avans University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands joins us as an Erasmus+ student. Welcome, Lynn!

Aug 18, 2022: Congratulations to Max, Yubo & Kathi on their new publication on eLife: Peer et al. eLife (doi: 10.7554/eLife.82041)

June 7, 2022: Bita Rashidfarokhi, a master's student from the University of Vienna, starts her Wahlbeispiel in our lab. Welcome, Bita!

May 15, 2022: Arda Kara will stay in our lab for another year to carry out his master's thesis work. Welcome, Arda!

May 15, 2022: David Gaßner will stay in our lab for another year to carry out his master's thesis work. Welcome, David!

April 25, 2022: George Kobakhidze from the University of Melbourne in Australia joins our lab as a new PhD student. Welcome, George!

April 14, 2022: Kim Ivan Abesamis from the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) joins our lab as a new PhD student. Welcome, Kim!

April 1, 2022: Nikolay Kuzmich from the University of Vienna starts his bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome, Nikolay!

Mar 15, 2022: Our joint work with Dr. Brooke Morriswood on the regulaton of endocytic activity in T. brucei is now posted on bioRxiv: Schichler D et al. bioRxiv doi: 10.1101/2022.03.15.484455.

Mar 11, 2022: Our manuscript reporting the newly identified regulatory element in the yeast secretory pathway is now posted on bioRxiv: Peer M, Yuan H, Zhang Y* et al. bioRxiv doi: 10.1101/2022.03.11.483902.

Mar 1, 2022: Dr. Antonio Hohn (originally from Brazil) join our group as a new Post-doc. Welcome, Antonio!

Feb 28, 2022: David Gaßner, a master's student from the University of Vienna, starts his großpraktikum in our lab. Welcome, David!

Feb 7, 2022: Vanessa Prinz from the University of Vienna starts her Wahlbeispiel work in our lab. Welcome, Vanessa!

Oct 18, 2021: Bhawna Chaudhary from the TERI SAS, Delhi, India starts her joint research work in our lab with an Ernst Mach Grant awarded by the Österreichischer Austauschdienst (OeAD). Welcome, Bhawna!

Oct 11, 2021: Beidong Zheng from the University of Vienna is recruited as a techenician in our lab. Welcome back, Beidong!

Sept 13, 2021: Alexander Yakusheff from the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow, Russia joins our lab as a new PhD student. Welcome, Alex!

Sept 13, 2021: Lara Iby from the University of Applied Sciences (FH Campus Vienna) starts her bachelor's thesis in our lab. Welcome, Lara!

Sept 10, 2021: Yulia successfully defended her PhD thesis and received "sehr gut (excellent)" from all committee members. Congratulations, Dr. Yulia Pivovarova! Поздравляю!

Sept 6, 2021: Arda Kara from the University of Vienna starts his Wahlbeispiel work in our lab. Welcome, Arda!

Aug 2, 2021: Congratulations to Paul on his new co-first authored publication on PLoS Pathogens: Isch C, Majneri P et al. PLoS Pathog. 17(8):e1009329. PMID: 34339455.

July 9, 2021: Emma successfully defended her PhD thesis and received "sehr gut (excellent)" from all committee members. Congratulations, Dr. Emma Stepinac! Zivjeli!

July 1, 2021: Daniel Velikov from the University of Vienna starts his bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

May 21, 2021: Congratulations to Emma on her new publication on iScience: Stepinac E et al. iScience 24: 102422.

May 10, 2021: A new collaborative project was just funded!

Our co-application with Dr. Alejandro Burga’s group (IMBA) for a collaborative grant was just approved by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). The grant is endowed with a total of 603,960.00 EUR and will support our joint effort to dissect the molecular mechanism of Selfish Genetic Elements in nematodes. Duration: 2021 - 2025.

April 15, 2021: Lion Herndlhofer from the University of Vienna starts his bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Mar 11, 2021: Congratulations to Emma on her co-first authored publication on eLife: Fatalska A, Stepinac E et al. eLife 10: e57241.

Mar 10, 2021: Our manuscript reporting our structural characterization of the shortest extended synaptotagmin (E-Syt) is posted on SSRN today: Stepinac E et al. SSRN doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3802018.

Feb 8, 2021: Beidong Zhang from the University of Vienna starts her bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Jan 26, 2021: Our joint work in collaboration with M. Bonhivers (Bordeaux, France) with our Master student Paul as a co-first author is posted on BioRxiv today: Isch C, Majneri P et al. bioRxiv doi: 10.1101/2021.01.26.428227.

Jan 6, 2021: Welcome Dr. Barbora Mikolaskova from the Biomedical Research Center SAS in Bratislava, Slovakia to our group as a Postdoc.

Jan 6, 2021: Anamaria Popescu from the University of Vienna starts her bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Oct 1, 2020: Maximilian Peer from the University of Vienna starts his Master thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Sept 1, 2020: Alexander Stadler from the University of Applied Sciences (FH Campus Wien) starts his bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Aug 1, 2020: Iana Hammerschmid from the University of Vienna starts her bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

July 1, 2020: A new International Joint Project was just approved!

Our co-application with Dr. Melanie Bonhivers from the University of Bordeaux in France for a collaborative “International Project” grant was just approved by both the FWF (Austria) and the ANR (France). The grant is endowed with a total of 705,485.70 EUR and will support our joint effort to study the flagellar pocket collar of the human parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Duration: 01 Oct, 2020 - 30 Sept, 2025.

July 1, 2020: Joy Wilkinson from the University of Vienna starts her bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Feb 7, 2020: Congratulations to Keni & Yulia on their new publication: Vidilaseris K, et al. J. Biol. Chem. 295(6): 1489-1499.

Dec 11, 2019: Our manuscript reporting high-resolution crystal structure of the BILBO1-NTD is posted on BioRxiv today: Vidilaseris K, Landrein N et al. bioRxiv doi: 10.1101/738153.

Nov 1, 2019: Kristina Draganic from the University of Vienna starts her Wahlbeispiel work in our lab. Welcome!

Oct 1, 2019: Fiona Farnhammer from the University of Vienna starts her Wahlbeispiel work in our lab. Welcome!

Oct 1, 2019: Aikaterina Grava from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece joins us as an Erasmus+ student. Welcome!

Sept 23, 2019: Christoph Wenzl from the University of Vienna starts his Wahlbeispiel work in our lab. Welcome!

Sept 1, 2019: Yue Qiu from the University of Vienna starts her bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Aug 1, 2019: Dominika Szyszko from Poland joins us as an Erasmus+ student. Welcome!

July 1, 2019: Lamija Zujo from the University of Vienna starts her Wahlbeispiel work in our lab. Welcome!

June 26, 2019: Congratulations to Emma on winning one of the Best Oral Presentation Prize at the 4^th Vienna Doctor School Annual Retreat.

June 23, 2019: Welcome Katharina Korbula to our group as our lab manager.

June 1, 2019: Rexhina Sinani from the University of Vienna starts her Wahlbeispiel work in our lab. Welcome!

Mar 1, 2019: Co-funded NIH-R01 grant: Mechanism of Infectivity Acquisition in African Trypanosomes

A newly approved NIH-R01 grant to support our collaborative work with Dr. Christian Tschudi's group at the Yale School of Medicine to unveil the molecular mechanism of the infectivity acquisition in African Trypanosomes. Duration: 01 Mar, 2019 - 29 Feb, 2024.

Feb 15, 2019: Hadi Shabonloo from the University of Vienna starts to carry out his Bachelor thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Feb 1, 2019: Neira Ljevakovic from the University of Vienna starts her Wahlbeispiel work in our lab. Welcome!

Jan 1, 2019: Welcome Dr. Niran Aeksiri, a visiting Postdoc from Thailand with the ASEA-UNINET Exchange Scholarship.

Dec 7, 2018: Congratulations to Emma on winning the Silver Medal of the “2018 Perutz Awards” at the Vienna Biocenter.

Oct 19, 2018: Congratulations to Yulia on her new publication: Pivovarova Y, et al. J. Mol. Biol. 430(21): 4209-4229.

Oct 15, 2018: Barbara Herlah from Slovenia joins us as an Erasmus+ student. Welcome!

July 2, 2018: Our joint publication on the polymorphisms of Plasmodium falciparum falcipain-2a with Dr. Cui's group at the Pennsylvania State University was published on J. Infect. Dis. 218(3): 434-442.

June 29, 2018: Congratulations to Emma on winning the Best Poster Prize at the 3^rdVienna Doctor School Annual Retreat.

June 1, 2018: Our joint publication on flagellum inheritance in Trypanosoma brucei with Dr. Li's group at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston was published on J. Biol. Chem. 293(22): 8508-8520.

Mar 26, 2018: Our joint publication on the RNA-binding protein Puf3 of Plasmodium falciparum with Dr. Cui's group at the Pennsylvania State University was published on J. Cell Sci. 131(3): jcs212597.

Mar 1, 2018: Rui Qiang Chen from the University of Vienna starts his master's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Jan 30, 2018: Katarzyna Karwan from the Jagiellonian University in Poland joins us as an Erasmus+ student. Welcome!

Dec 15, 2017: Congratulations to Paul on our joint publication on the role of the CIF1-CIF2 complex in cytokinesis with Dr. Li's group at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston! Hu H, et al. J. Cell Sci. 130(24): 4108-4119.

Dec 9, 2017: Congratulations to Paul on winning the Silver Medal of the "Perutz Crystal Award".

Nov 1, 2017: Our joint publication on the the flagellar pocket collar and the hook complex of T. brucei with Dr. Bonhiver's group at the University of Bordeaux was published on PLoS Pathog. 13(1): e1006710.

Oct 2, 2017: Daria Filipczak from the University of Wrocław in Poland joins us as an Erasmus+ student. Welcome!

Sept 1, 2017: Rui Qiang Chen from the University of Vienna starts his Wahlbeispiel work in our lab. Welcome!

May 1, 2017: Paul Majneri from the University of Vienna starts his master's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Jan 23, 2017: Congratulations to Yubo on his co-first authored publication on how Sec3 promotes t-SNARE assemly in budding yeast with Dr. Guo's group at the University of Pennsylvania! Yue P, Zhang Y, et al. Nat. Commun. 8:14236.

Jan 6, 2017: Eva Zorec from the University of Vienna starts her bachelor's thesis work in our lab. Welcome!

Selected Publications

Double NPY motifs at the N-terminus of the yeast t-SNARE Sso2 synergistically bind Sec3 to promote membrane fusion.

2022 eLife;11
PMID: 35979953

Peer, Maximilian; Yuan, Hua; Zhang, Yubo; Korbula, Katharina; Novick, Peter; Dong, Gang

Structural studies of the shortest extended synaptotagmin with only two C2 domains from Trypanosoma brucei

2021 iScience.;24(5):102422.
PMID: 33997700

Stepinac, Emma; Landrein, Nicolas; Skwarzynska, Daria; Wójcik, Patrycja; Lesigang, Johannes; Lu?i?, Iva; He, Cynthia Y; Bonhivers, Mélanie; Robinson, Derrick R; Dong, Gang

Structural and functional studies of the first tripartite protein complex at the Trypanosoma brucei flagellar pocket collar.

2021 PLOS PATHOG;17(8):e1009329.
PMID: 34339455

Isch, Charlotte; Majneri, Paul; Landrein, Nicolas; Pivovarova, Yulia; Lesigang, Johannes; Lauruol, Florian; Robinson, Derrick R; Dong, Gang; Bonhivers, Mélanie

The dimeric Golgi protein Gorab binds to Sas6 as a monomer to mediate centriole duplication.

2021 eLife;10
PMID: 33704067

Fatalska, Agnieszka; Stepinac, Emma; Richter, Magdalena; Kovacs, Levente; Pietras, Zbigniew; Puchinger, Martin; Dong, Gang; Dadlez, Michal; Glover, David M

Structure of a Novel Dimeric SET Domain Methyltransferase that Regulates Cell Motility.

2018 J MOL BIOL;430(21):4209-4229.
PMID: 30148980

Pivovarova, Yulia; Liu, Jun; Lesigang, Johannes; Koldyka, Oliver; Rauschmeier, Rene; Hu, Ke; Dong, Gang

Sec3 promotes the initial binary t-SNARE complex assembly and membrane fusion.

2017 NAT COMMUN;8:14236.
PMID: 28112172

Yue, Peng; Zhang, Yubo; Mei, Kunrong; Wang, Shaoxiao; Lesigang, Johannes; Zhu, Yueyao; Dong, Gang; Guo, Wei

Collaborations & Funding

Austrian Scientific Fund (FWF) - Collaborative project

Project title: "Structural basis of tRNA synthetase-based selfish killer" (P 34880)

A new grant was freshly approved by the FWF on 10 May, 2021! This grant (Sum: 603,960.00 EUR) will support the collaborative work between Dr. Alejandro Burga’s group (IMBA, VBC) and us on eukayrotic Selfish Elements, which underlie numerous cases of hybrid dysgenesis, sterility and genetic incompatibilities in nature. We will use our complementary expertise in genetics and structural biology to dissect the molecular mechanism of a set of selfish elements in the nematodes C. elegans and C. tropicalis.

Duration: 01 July, 2021 - 30 June, 2025.

American National Institutes of Health NIH-R01 (collaborative)

Project title: "Mechanism of infectivity acquisition in African trypanosomes" (2 R01 AI110325-06)

A newly approved NIH-R01 grant ($345,724.00; total: $2,311,805.00) to support our collaborative work with Prof. Christian Tschudi's group at the Yale School of Medicine to unveil the molecular mechanism of the infectivity acquisition in African Trypanosomes. Our complementary expertise will provide unique opportunities for us to illuminate the developmental program leading from non-infective procyclics to infectious metacyclics, a crucial process in the T. brucei life cycle.

Duration: 01 Mar, 2019 - 29 Feb, 2024.

International Joint Project (FWF-ANR)

Project title: "Why and how trypanosomes build a flagellar pocket collar" (I 4960-B)

In collaborataion with Dr. Melanie Bonhivers from the University of Bordeaux and co-funded by the FWF (Austria) and the ANR (France). The grant (Sum: 705,485.70 EUR) will support our joint effort to study the flagellar pocket collar (FPC) of the human parasite Trypanosoma brucei. We aim to explain how a new FPC is formed, why it is essential, what polymers/proteins are needed, and how they interact.

Duration: 01 Oct, 2020 - 30 Sept, 2024.

International Doctoral Program "Integrative Structural Biology"

The Group Dong participated in and was one of the seven full members of the Doctoral Program "Integrative Structural Biology" (W-1258), which was reviewed and funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF.

Duration: 01 Jan, 2016 - 30 June, 2020.

Austrian Scientific Fund (FWF) - Stand alone project

Project title: “Structural Characterization of ZYG-1 in Centriole Assembly" (P 28231)”

Duration: 01 July, 2015 - 30 June, 2020.

Austrian Scientific Fund (FWF) - Stand alone project

Project title: “Structural studies of the Trypanosoma brucei protein TbBILBO1" (P 24383-B21)

Duration: 01 May, 2012 - 30 Apr, 2016.

Austrian Scientific Fund (FWF) - Stand alone project

Project title: “Structural Studies of the Intraflagellar Transport Complexes" (P 23440-B20)

Duration: 01 Apr, 2011 - 31 Oct, 2015.

WWTF - Molecular Mechanisms and Methods

Project title: "Towards sustainable food and bioenergy security for society: Establishing an academic compound screening platform in Vienna to characterize and modulate Strigolactone synthesis in plants" (WWTF 2009) Role: Research Partner (PI: Dr. T. Sieberer). Duration: 2011 - 2014.

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Structure and assembly of sarcomeric Z-disc

Overview

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Cell Competition and Tissue Fitness in Development and Disease