RNDr. Hana Sychrová, DrSc., Laboratory of Membrane Transport, IPHYS

All cells accumulate large amounts of potassium, which is involved in many intracellular processes and helps to maintain key physiological parameters such as membrane potential or intracellular pH. Cells use many potassium transporters differing in the protein structure and mechanism of transport to ensure appropriate regulation of potassium uptake and efflux, and thereby optimum K+ concentration in cytosol and organelles. One of the widely spread K+ uptake systems, Trk1, is regulated on a post-translational level, and its activity contributes significantly to stress survival. We studied the structure of the protein and its changes related to the changes in its affinity for potassium. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the structure-activity relationship of the Trk1 protein and may help in the development of new drugs and the improvement of some biotechnology processes.

Biography:

Hana Sychrová graduated in biochemistry at Charles University, received her Ph.D. degree (CSc.) from the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, and DrSc. degree from the Czech Academy of Sciences. As a post-doctoral fellow, she worked at CNRS and Université Louis Pasteur in France, where she received training in molecular biology and genetics. Since 1985, she has been working at IPHYS, and since 2006 as the head of the Laboratory of Membrane Transport. She has been studying cell transporters from cloning their genes, through their biogenesis, characterization of their substrate specificity, and activity regulation, up to their degradation.

IPHYS contact person: Hana Sychrová hana.sychrova@fgu.cas.cz