Ph.D. 1986
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India |
Alaka Srivastava, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor of Dentistry,Center for Oral Biology
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Contact Information:
University of Rochester
School of Medicine and Dentistry
601 Elmwood Ave, Box 611
Rochester, New York 14642
Medical Center: G9634
Phone: (585) 273-1424
Fax: (585) 506-0190
Email:
Alaka_Srivastava@urmc.rochester.edu
Research: Application of Microarray in Identifying the Genes Involved in Salivary Gland Function. |
Application of DNA Microarray in Identifying the Genes Involved in Salivary Gland Function
Using traditional methods to assay gene expression, researchers were able to survey a relatively small number of genes at a time. The emergence of DNA microarrays have revolutionized gene expression studies and made possible large-scale parallel measurement of whole genome expression. Such studies are perfectly suited to unravel the complex regulation and interaction of both genes and proteins involved in salivary gland physiological processes.
Millions of Americans suffer from dry mouth disease. Multiple factors are associated with this disease, including radiation exposure during treatment for head and neck cancers, autoimmune diseases, defects in the genes that encode for water and ion transport proteins, and xerogenic medications. A thorough understanding of the molecular physiology of salivary glands is needed to restore function for these individuals. The initial studies of the human parotid gland suggest that the ion transport and signaling pathways that control salivation are comparable to those found in mouse. Genetically modified mice are valuable model system for human salivary gland diseases, and have proven to be useful tool for characterizing the function and regulation of proteins involved in salivary gland function.
We are using commercially available microarray chips containing several thousand genes to monitor overall changes in the gene profile of knockout mice. We are also fabricating a custom-designed “salivary gland secretion” cDNA microarray chip. This chip includes about 200 cDNAs representing ion and water transporters, signaling molecules related to the Ca2+ and cAMP signaling pathways, and secretary proteins. The “salivary gland secretion” cDNA microarray assay will be used as a survey tool to: (a) identify those genes most affected by the knockout/knockdown of a specific gene; and (b) to determine which genes have been affected by transfer of wild type genes to restore gland function. Results from these experiments will be verified, and the magnitude of the changes in gene expression will be determined, by quantitative real time RT-PCR.
We also have access to human parotid tissues for our studies. An initial screening of the human parotid tissue is being performed using the custom-designed “salivary gland secretion” cDNA chip. The results of the human tissue microarray experiments will be compared to mouse salivary glands. Eventually, insight gained by understanding the function and regulation of the proteins involved in mouse and human salivary gland secretion will be used for developing strategies to treat salivary gland dysfunction |
Alaka SRIVASTAVA, Vanessa Lake, Sandra M. Mayer, Robert D. Willows, and Samuel I. Beale, (2005) The Chlamydomonas reinhardtii gtr gene encoding the tetrapyrrole biosynthetic enzyme glutamyl-tRNA reductase: structure of the gene and characterization of the expressed enzyme. Plant Molecular Biology, 58 (5), 643-658.
Alaka SRIVASTAVA and Samuel I. Beale (2005), Glutamyl-t-RNA reductase of Chlorobium vibrioforme is dissociable Homodimer that contains one tightly bound heme per subunit. Journalof Bacteriology, 187 (13), 4444-4450.
Luiza A Nogaj, AlakaSRIVASTAVA, Robert van Lis, Samuel I Beale (2005), Expression of glutamyl-tRNA reductase and glutamate-1-semialdehyde aminotransferase inChlamydomonas reinhardtii,Plant Physiology 139 (1), 389-96.
J.J.S. Prakash, Alaka SRIVASTAVA, R.J. Strasser and P. Mohanty (2003) Senescence-induced alterations in the photosystem II functions of Cucumis sativus cotyledons: Probing senescence driven alterations of photosystem II by chlorophyll a fluorescence induction O-J-I-P transients. Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics 40, 1-10.
G. Schansker, Alaka SRIVASTAVA, Govindjee and R.J. Strasser (2003) Charecterization of the 820 nm transmission signal paralleling the chlorophyll a fluorescence rise (OJIP) in pea leaves. Functional Plant Biology, 30, 785-796.
S. Susplugas, Alaka SRIVASTAVA, R.J. Strasser (2001) Changes in the photosynthetic activities during several stages of vegetative growth of Spirodela polyrhiza: Effect of chromate. J. Plant Physiol., 157, 503-512.
Click here to view a full list of publications by Dr. Srivastava. |
