Lehrstuhl für Zell- und Entwicklungsbiologie

Morriswood lab (2015-2022)

We studied motor proteins and the trypanosome cytoskeleton

Research synopsis

The eukaryotic cytoskeleton is composed of three main types of filaments:

microfilaments (actin)

microtubules

intermediate filaments

These filaments can be stable or dynamic, and are responsible not only for maintaining cell architecture but also for a plethora of cellular functions that interface with the membrane trafficking and signal transduction networks amongst others. Motor proteins use the filaments as tracks for the transport of intracellular cargo, be it multiprotein complexes or vesicles.

Trypanosomatids are a particularly interesting system for the study of the cytoskeleton for a number of reasons.

Firstly, as the causative agents of several neglected tropical diseases (sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, Leishmaniasis) there is a need for new therapeutic strategies, and the cytoskeleton is essential to the viability of the cells. Study of the ways in which the cytoskeleton performs its many cellular functions will both add to biological knowledge and illuminate areas for possible drug development.

Secondly, as descendants of an early-branching eukaryote they are likely to exhibit both conserved and novel features in their cytoskeleton (for instance, there are no intermediate filament proteins encoded in their genomes), making them an important reference in evolutionary cell biology studies, and a source of cytoskeletal diversity.

Thirdly, like many parasites, they boast a streamlined cellular physiology, making them ideal model systems for a number of fundamental questions in eukaryotic biology.

 

Recent research publications

Preprints:

Endocytosis is required for access of surface-bound cargo to the flagellar pocket of trypanosomes. (2022) bioRxiv, peer review via Review Commons.

Structures of three MORN repeat proteins and a re-evaluation of the proposed lipid-binding properties of MORN repeats. (2020) bioRxiv, peer review via Review Commons.

A modification to the life cycle of the parasite Trypanosoma brucei. (2019) biorXiv.

Journal articles:

Broster Reix CE, Florimond C, Cayrel A, Mailhé A, Agnero-Rigot C, Landrein N, Dacheux D, Havlicek K, Bonhivers M, Morriswood B, Robinson DR (2021).Bhalin, an essential cytoskeleton-associated protein of trypanosoma brucei linking TbBILBO1 of the flagellar pocket collar with the hook complex. Microorganisms. 

Schuster S, Lisack J, Subota I, Zimmermann H, Reuter C, Mueller T, Morriswood B, Engstler M (2021) Unexpected plasticity in the life cycle of Trypanosoma brucei. Elife

Sajko S, Grishkovskaya I, Kostan J, Graewert M, Setiawan K, Trübestein L, Niedermüller K, Gehin C, Sponga A, Puchinger M, Gavin AC, Leonard TA, Svergun DI, Smith TK, Morriswood B, Djinovic-Carugo K. (2020) Structures of three MORN repeat proteins and a re-evaluation of the proposed lipid-binding properties of MORN repeats.  PLoS ONE

Morriswood B, Engstler M. Let's get fISSical: fast in silico synchronization as a new tool for cell division cycle analysis. (2017) Parasitology. Feb 7:1-14.

Cicova Z, Dejung M, Skalicky T, Eisenhuth N, Hanselmann S, Morriswood B, Figueiredo LM, Butter F, Janzen CJ. (2016) Two flagellar BAR domain proteins in Trypanosoma brucei with stage-specific regulation. Sci Rep. 6:35826.

Vidilaseris K, Lesigang J, Morriswood B, Dong G. Assembly mechanism of Trypanosoma brucei BILBO1 at the flagellar pocket collar. (2015) Commun Integr Biol.8(1):e992739.  

Morriswood B. Form, Fabric, and Function of a Flagellum-Associated Cytoskeletal Structure. (2015) Cells. 4(4):726-47.

Morriswood B, Schmidt K. A MORN Repeat Protein Facilitates Protein Entry into the Flagellar Pocket of Trypanosoma brucei. (2015) Eukaryot Cell. 14(11):1081-93.

Vidilaseris K, Shimanovskaya E, Esson HJ, Morriswood B, Dong G. Assembly mechanism of Trypanosoma brucei BILBO1, a multidomain cytoskeletal protein. (2014) J Biol Chem. 289(34):23870-81.

Vidilaseris K, Morriswood B, Kontaxis G, Dong G. Structure of the TbBILBO1 protein N-terminal domain from Trypanosoma brucei reveals an essential requirement for a conserved surface patch. (2014) J Biol Chem. 289(6):3724-35.  

Morriswood B, Warren G. Cell biology. Stalemate in the Golgi battle. (2013) Science. 341(6153):1465-6.  

Morriswood B, Havlicek K, Demmel L, Yavuz S, Sealey-Cardona M, Vidilaseris K, Anrather D, Kostan J, Djinovic-Carugo K, Roux KJ, Warren G. Novel bilobe components in Trypanosoma brucei identified using proximity-dependent biotinylation. (2013) Eukaryot Cell. 12(2):356-67.  

Esson HJ, Morriswood B, Yavuz S, Vidilaseris K, Dong G, Warren G. Morphology of the trypanosome bilobe, a novel cytoskeletal structure. (2012) Eukaryot Cell. 11(6):761-72.

Morriswood B, He CY, Sealey-Cardona M, Yelinek J, Pypaert M, Warren G. The bilobe structure of Trypanosoma brucei contains a MORN-repeat protein. (2009) Mol Biochem Parasitol 167(2):95-103.

RESEARCH TOPICS

Myosin motor proteins

Trypanosomes have an extremely reduced actomyosin system – but what is its function?

The trypanosome cytoskeleton

The hook complex is a cytoskeleton-associated structure coiled around the flagellar pocket neck.

PEOPLE

The Morriswood group was a 100% self-funded research group that was active from 2015-2022. Funding for the group was discontinued at the end of 2021. 

 

ALUMNI (Bachelor/Master/PhD/group leader)

Brooke Morriswood

When: 2015-2022

What: Group leader

Next: MedComms!

Max Dohn

What: Master's thesis

 

Antonia Konle

When: 2022/2023

What: Postgraduate student

Next: PhD program, Max Delbrück Center, Gerhardt group 

 

Sisco Jung

When: 2021/2022

What: Master's thesis (thesis prize)

Next: ...

Xenia Malzer

When: 2021/22

What: Master's thesis (thesis prize)

Next: ...

Monika Weiland

When: 2022

What: Bachelor thesis

Next: Back to classes!

Noah Wetterich

When: 2021

What: Bachelor thesis

Next: Back to classes!

Antonia Konle

When: 2020/2021

What: Master's thesis (thesis prize)

Next: Back for a 1-year postgrad in 2022!

Tuguldur Tumurbaatar

When: 2021

What: Bachelor thesis

Next: Back to classes!

Korbinian Niedermüller

When: 2020/2021

What: Master's thesis

Next: PhD position in Gilberger group, Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg.

Sina Riegler

When: 2020/21

What: Master's thesis (thesis prize)

Next: Analyst at Teva Biotech

Anna Seleznev

When: 2020

What: Bachelor thesis

Next: Back to classes!

Sisco Jung

When: 2020

What: Bachelor thesis (thesis prize)

Next: Back for a Master's in 2021!

Eva-Maria Spath

When: 2019/2020

What: Master's thesis (thesis prize)

Next: PhD position in Neufert group, University of Erlangen.

Tim Wuppermann

When: 2019

What: Bachelor thesis

Next: Back to classes!

Alexandra Klein

When: 2019

What: Bachelor thesis

Next: Back to classes!

Sonia Pérez Cabrera

When: 2019

What: Internship exchange

Next: Back to classes!

Korbinian Niedermüller

When: 2018

What: Bachelor thesis

Next: Back for a Master's in 2020!

Kim Setiawan

When: 2017/2018

What: Master's thesis

Next: PhD position in Morschhäuser group, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, Würzburg.

Daja Schichler

When: 2016

What: Master's thesis (thesis prize)

Next: PhD program, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Cuylen group.

ALUMNI (Internship/rotation students)

2022

Mara Pöllmann
Noah Wetterich
An Binh Nguyen
Timothy Wuppermann
Johannes Kullmann (2023)
 

2021

Emily Riemer
Mary Attah
Sina Grimm
Lukas Baltes
Jan Grundheber

2020

Sina Riegler
Tuguldur Tumurbaatar
Maximilian Dohn
Xenia Malzer

2019

Denis Hepbasli
Antonia Konle
 

2018

Matthias Reese
Eva-Maria Spath

2017

Korbinian Niedermüller
Ningjun Ni

2016

Tina Weberbauer
Kim Setiawan

 

2015

Marlene Strobel
Daja Schichler
Heike Schreier