Dr. Anna Karnkowska, University of Warsaw, Exploring microbial diversity to understand the evolution of eukaryotic cell

data wydarzenia: 22 marca 2019

Centre of New Technologies UW

invites to a seminar by

 Anna Karnkowska, PhD

 Department of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw

  Exploring microbial diversity to understand the evolution of eukaryotic cell

22nd of March 2019 at 12 p.m.

Venue: Centre of New Technologies, Banacha 2C,
Lecture Hall 0142 (Ground floor)

Host: Marta B. Wiśniewska

Abstract: The diversity of eukaryotic cellular forms is often hidden among obscure and divergent lineages of microbial eukaryotes. Species discovery and modern sequencing techniques allow us to uncover a lot of this diversity and highlight potential model organisms, which might help to understand the evolution of the eukaryotic cell.

I am interested in the process of horizontal gene transfer and endosymbiosis in eukaryote evolution. I will focus on fundamental questions on the mechanisms of enslaving, maintaining and loss of organelles and present a range of microbial eukaryotes, which contribute to our understanding of the evolution of eukaryotic cell. I will present my research on the early stages of endosymbiosis based on the studies on transient plastids, so-called kleptoplasts, which might resemble the initial steps of the establishing endosymbiosis. Followed by the examples of the organisms with highly reduced mitochondria, including Monocercomonides exilis, the first truly amitochondriate eukaryote. Careful investigation of M. exilis genome allowed us to understand how the endosymbiosis can be undone and how this affects the cellular complexity.