Tatyana (Tanya) Sysoeva, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Microbiology

Contact

301 Sparkman Drive
Shelby Center
Room 369M
Huntsville, AL 35899
Campus Map

256.824.6371
tatyana.sysoeva@uah.edu

Biography

The research program of our lab focuses on horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in complex microbial communities. We analyze which bacteria, when, and by what mechanism exchange genetic material in their native environments. Increasing levels of antibiotic resistance in human bacterial pathogens represent one of the most pressing medical challenges of our time. HGT plays a critical role in spreading of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria. Currently no solution exists to reverse the antibiotic resistance or prevent it from further spreading via HGT apart from the conservative approach of antibiotics stewardship, that has so far showed limited success in eliminating the resistant strains. Therefore, we study mechanism and regulation of HGT in human pathogenic and commensal bacteria with a far-reaching goal of countering antibiotic resistance spread by modulating DNA exchange.

Curriculum Vitae

Research Website

Education

  • Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, USA, 2011
  • M.S.(Hons) Materials Science, Moscow State University, Russia, 2004
  • B.S. Materials Science, Moscow State University, Russia, 2002

Expertise

  • DNA transport
  • Horizontal gene transfer
  • Antibiotic resistance
  • Drug-resistant uropathogenic bacteria
  • Plasmid conjugation
  • Natural transformation

Recent Publications

  • Zhu K., Chen S., Sysoeva T.A., You L. Universal antibiotic tolerance arising from antibiotic-triggered accumulation of pyocyanin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PLoS Biol 17(12): e3000573. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000573

  • Dai Z., Lee A.J., Roberts S., Sysoeva T.A., Huang S., Dzuricky M., Yang X., Chilkoti A., You L. Versatile biomanufacturing by a hybrid biological-material system. Nat Chem Biol, 15, 1017–1024.

  • Sysoeva T.A. 2017. Assessing heterogeneity in oligomeric AAA+ machines. Cell Mol Life Sci. 74 (6): 1001-1018.

  • Sysoeva T.A., Burton B.M. 2016. A new front for intermicrobial wars. Nat Microbiology, 2, 16254.

  • Lopatkin A.J., Sysoeva T.A., You L. 2016. Dissecting the effects of antibiotics on horizontal gene transfer: Analysis suggests a critical role of selection dynamics. BioEssays 38(12):12831290.

  • Lopatkin A.J., Huang S., Smith R., Srimani J., Sysoeva T.A., Bewick S., Karig D., You L. 2016. Antibiotics as a selective driver for conjugation dynamics. Nat Microbiology, 1, 16044.

  • Sysoeva T.A., Bane L.B., Xiao D.Y., Bose B., Chilton S.S., Gaudet R., Burton B.M. 2015. Structural characterization of the late competence protein ComFB from Bacillus subtilis. Biosci Rep, 35(2)

  • Ramsdell T.L., Huppert L.A., Sysoeva T.A., Fortune S.M., Burton B.M. 2015. Linked Domain Architectures Allow for Specialization of Function in the FtsK/SpoIIIE ATPases of ESX Secretion Systems, J Mol Biol, 427(5):1119-1132.

  • Sysoeva T.A., Huppert L.A, Zepeda-Rivera M.A., Burton B.M. 2014. Dimer recognition and secretion by the ESX Secretion System in Bacillus subtilis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 111(21):7653-7658.