In the halophilic black yeast H. werneckii, I have identified and cloned a gene encoding a putative protein with a considerable degree of similarity to a number of uncharacterized sugar transporters, and also to Stl1p, a well-characterized member of the sugar transporter family, the glycerol/H+ symporter of the plasma membrane in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. I have characterized the gene HwSTL1 and the putative protein HwStl1p.
B.06 Other
COBISS.SI-ID: 27051993The results of the characterization of the glycerol transporter of the halophilic H. werneckii and its gene expression were presented at the 35th FEBS congress Molecules of Life in June 2010 in Götheborg, Sweden. Protein HwStl1p belongs to the Major Facilitator Superfamily and is most similar to sugar transporters. It has 12 transmembrane domains and shows the greatest homology to Stl1p glycerol/H+ symporters of Aspergillus terreus (67% identity), S. cerevisiae (55% identity) and Candida albicans (63% identity). HwSTL1 is salt-responsive; its expression is stimulated at high salinity.
B.06 Other
COBISS.SI-ID: 27124953I have presented a talk on the strategy of the osmoadaptation of the halophilic black yeast H. werneckii at the international meeting of the ISHAM working group on black yeasts. H. werneckii sythesizes glycerol at high NaCl concentrations, which accumulates in the cells and is partially retained by the melanized cell wall. The glycerol transporter probably helps accumulated glycerol againts the concentration gradient, which affects the energetic input of the cells and enables the survival at high salinities.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 2235983I co-supervised the research work of the undergraduate student for her graduation thesis on the physiology of the halophilic fungi of the genus Wallemia. I participated in the experimental design and supervised the practical work of the undergraduate student.
D.10 Educational activities
COBISS.SI-ID: 1983823