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K-State Today

March 5, 2019

Wayne Riekhof to present Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Seminar on March 6

Submitted by Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics

Wayne Riekhof, assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is the featured speaker for Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Seminar on Wednesday, March 6. He will present "Membrane lipid synthesis and remodeling in fungi: Who needs phospholipids, anyway?" at 4 p.m. in 120 Ackert Hall.

Glycerolipid synthesis and membrane assembly are essential processes to organisms in all three domains of life. The regulation of membrane biogenesis and storage lipid accumulation is coordinated with other cellular processes, all of which are regulated by nutritional and environmental cues. Riekhof will present recent work from his lab concerning these broad themes as they specifically impact several seemingly unrelated areas of interest:

  1. Phosphate starvation as a driver of membrane remodeling and virulence in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans.
  2. Nitrogen starvation as a driver of membrane disassembly and triglyceride accumulation in the green alga Chlorella sorokiniana.
  3. Metabolic complementarity and synergy in a fungal/algal/bacterial community.

The biochemistry and molecular biophysics department is part of K-State's College of Arts and Sciences. To learn more, visit k-state.edu/bmb/.