Research Profile
My research interests are in (i) protein trafficking and localization using biochemical and cell biological approaches, (ii) protein-protein interactions and (iii) enzyme structure and function. I graduated from Bose Institute, India in 2004 under supervision of Prof. P. K. Chakrabartty. My dissertation work focused on the identification of a potent α-amylase producing bactertial strain, optimization of the fermentation condition for production of the α-amylase from this strain, and the purification and combined biophysical and biochemical characterization of the enzyme. In my postdoctoral training, my work focuses on the study of TGN membrane protein localization using budding yeast as a system. A major project is the reconstitution of vesicular transport from the TGN to the late endosome, focusing on the biochemical role of Arf-GTP in recruitment of Gga adaptors at TGN, which is coupled to cargo sorting and clathrin-coated vesicle formation. In addition, I am interested in the SOI genes, which were identified as allele-specific suppressors of mutations in the TGN retrieval signal in the cytosolic tail of the yeast Kex2 protease. The gene for Chorea Acanthocytosis, a human neurodegenerative disease, is the ortholog of the SOI1/VPS13 gene. I am currently working on identifying Soi1p-interacting proteins that may help explain the molecular basis of the human disease.
PubMed Search Term: de m
Publications
De, M.; Ghosh A.; Krajewski, A.; Rajiv Y Chandawarkar, 2008, Exogenous Hsp-70 can modulate radiation induced innate immunity by IRAK4 signaling pathway.(in preparation )
Krajewski, A.; Garg, M.; De, M.; Rajiv Y Chandawarkar. 2008, Phagocytosis: Remergence of a primitive function. Plastic Reconstruction Surgery. (Accepted)
De, M., Ciccotosto, G.D., Mains, Richard, Eipper Betty. 2007. Trafficking of a Secretory Granule Membrane Protein Is Sensitive to Copper. J. Biological Chemistry, 282 (32), 23262-23271.
De, M; Bell, Joseph; Blackburn, Ninian; Mains, Richard; Eipper, Betty. 2006. Role for an essential tyrosine in peptide amidation. J. Biological Chemistry, 281 (30), 20873-20882.
De, M., Das, K. P., Roy, P. and Chakrabartty, P. K. 2005. Purification, biochemical and structural characterization of ï¡-amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens NCIM 2829. Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 42 (5) 287-294.
De, M., Mukherjee, S., Chakrabartty, P. K. 2003. Improvement of amylase production by NTG mutagenesis. Science and Culture, 69, (No. 3-4): 153-154.
De, M., Basu M. and Chakrabartty P. K. 2003. Synthesis of dihydroxybenzoic acid in the presence of aluminum by Rhizobium MO1. Acta Microbiologica polonica, 52 (2) 195-199.
Professional & scientific activity
2008: presented a poster in the Biological Chemistry retreat, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA titled. “ Localization of transmembrane proteinsâ€
2006: presented a poster in the Gordon Research Conference, New Hampshire, USA titled “Role of Copper in the secretion/trafficking of Peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase (PAM).â€
2005: presented a poster in Neuroscience retreat, UCONN Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA titled “Does peptide amidation really require iron along with copper, zinc and calcium?â€
2004: presented a poster in MMSB retreat, UCONN Health center, Farmington, CT, USA titled “Study on the catalytic core of Peptidylglycine α-Amidating Lyase.â€
2003: participated in Annual Basic Science Colloquium-The Cytoskeleton in Health and Disease held in Northwestern University.
2002: presented a talk in National Symposium on Microbial Biotechnology: Concepts and Applications held in Calcutta University, India titled “Purification and characterization of amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.â€
2000: presented a poster in 69th Annual Meeting of the Society of Biological Chemists held in Science City, Calcutta, India titled “Production of amylase by a strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.