Saint Louis University

Education

Ph.D., 1991, University of Gdansk, Poland

Research Interests

We are broadly interested in the role, function and regulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Our former projects focused on the mechanism by which proteins are recruited for degradation by the 26S proteasome in yeast. We have recently initiated three new research directions that focus on the role of proteasomal proteolysis in 1) autoimmune diseases (type 1 diabetes); 2) protein misfolding diseases (liver disease associated with alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency); and early antiviral responses (ectromelia virus/primary mouse macrophages). Biochemical and cellular approaches are our primary research tools.

Recent Publications

• Early Immunoproteasome Activation in Mouse Pancreatic β-cells by IFNβ: New Insights into Auto-antigen Generation in Type I Diabetes?
  Freudenburg W, Gautam M, Chakraborty P, James J, Richards J, et al. J Clin Cell Immunol. (2013) 3:141.
  
• Reduction in ATP levels triggers immunoproteasome activation by the 11S (PA28) regulator during early antiviral response mediated by IFNbeta in mouse pancreatic beta-cells.
  Freudenburg W, Gautam M, Chakraborty P, Richards J, Salvatori A, Baldwin A, Schriewer J, Buller M, Corbett J, Skowyra D. PLOS One. (2013) 8(2):e52408.
  
• The loop-less tmCdc34 E2 mutant defective in polyubiquitination in vitro and in vivo supports yeast growth in a manner dependent on Ubp14 and Cka2.
  Lass A, Cocklin R, Scaglione KM, Skowyra M, Korolev S, Goebl M, Skowyra D. Cell Div. (2011) 6(1):7.