Dr Leandro Jose de Assis
Postdoctoral Research RA
Geoffrey Pope 328
Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter , Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
Overview
My main research focuses on fungal biochemistry, genetics and metabolism, more specifically, in the characterization of carbon source metabolism. I have been dedicated to understand and elucidate mechanisms governing glucose signaling. I have gained skills in basic and advanced microbiology, biochemistry and genetics techniques from different universities: (i) Federal University of Lavras (Minas Gerais, Brazil) in basic microbiology methods for agricultural applications, (ii) Institute of Medical Biochemistry at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in basic and advanced biochemical and metabolism techniques and (iii) University of São Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil) in advanced molecular biology and genetics methodologies. As part of my post-doctoral fellowship, gained experience working with genetics and proteomics at Maynooth University in Ireland, also I was working as a post-doctoral fellow at the Georg-August University of Gottingen in Germany applying genetics and proteomics approach. I therefore have good knowledge in assaying the activities of a wide range of enzymes, characterizing interactions between genes as well as protein physical interactions using techniques such as immunoprecipitation and know how to do a screening of strains (yeast and filamentous fungi) for drugs using microplate reader. I am currently working on various aspects of sugar metabolism studying cell wall construction and the exposition of carbohydrates on the surface of the fungi to the host.
Qualifications
Undergraduate: Biological science (agricultural applications)
Undergraduate: Biomedicine
Ph.D.: Chemical Biology
Postdoctoral fellow: Biochemistry, Genetics, Metabolism and Proteomics.
Career
2003-2005 Biological Science, Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
2005-2009 Biomedicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2009-2013 Ph.D. Chemical Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2013-2019 Postdoctoral fellowship, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
2016-2016 Postdoctoral fellowship, Maynooth University, Ireland,
2018-2018 Postdoctoral fellowship, Georg-August University of Gottingen, Germany.
Research group links
Research
Research interests
My main research focuses on fungal biochemistry, genetics and metabolism, more specifically, in the characterization of carbon source metabolism. I have been dedicated to understand and elucidate mechanisms governing glucose signaling. I have gained skills in basic and advanced microbiology, biochemistry and genetics techniques from different universities: (i) Federal University of Lavras (Minas Gerais, Brazil) in basic microbiology methods for agricultural applications, (ii) Institute of Medical Biochemistry at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in basic and advanced biochemical and metabolism techniques and (iii) University of São Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil) in advanced molecular biology and genetics methodologies. As part of my post-doctoral fellowship, gained experience working with genetics and proteomics at Maynooth University in Ireland, also I was working as a post-doctoral fellow at the Georg-August University of Gottingen in Germany applying genetics and proteomics approach. I therefore have good knowledge in assaying the activities of a wide range of enzymes, characterizing interactions between genes as well as protein physical interactions using techniques such as immunoprecipitation and know how to do a screening of strains (yeast and filamentous fungi) for drugs using microplate reader. I am currently working on various aspects of sugar metabolism studying cell wall construction and the exposition of carbohydrates on the surface of the fungi to the host.
Publications:
1. Ribeiro MS, Paula RG De, Voltan AR, Castro RG De, Jos L, Assis D, Jos C, Monteiro VN. Trichoderma harzianum Participates in Cell Wall Biogenesis but Is Not Essential for Antagonism Against Plant Pathogens. Biomolecules 9:1–17, 2019.
2. Horta, M. A. C.; Thieme, N.; Gao, Y.; Burnum-Johnson, K. E.; Nicora, C. D.; Gritsenko, M. A.; Lipton, M.; Mohanraj, K.; Assis, LJ; Lin, L.; Tian, C.; Braus, G. H.; Borkovich, K. A.; Schmoll, M.; Larrondo, L. F.; Samal, A.; Goldman, G. H.; Benz, J. P. Broad substrate-specific phosphorylation events are associated with the initial stage of plant cell wall recognition in Neurospora crassa. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2019.
3. Antonieto, A. C. C. ; Nogueira, K. M. V. ; Paula, R. G. ; Nora, L. C. ; Cassiano, M. H. A. ; Guazzaroni, M. ; Almeida, F. B. R. ; Silva, T. A. ; Ries, L. N. A. ; de Assis, L. J. ; Goldman, G. H. ; Silva, R. N. ; Silva-Rocha, R: A novel Cys2His2 zinc-finger homolog of AZF1 modulates holocellulase expression in Trichoderma reesei. mSystems, 2019.
4. Ribeiro, L. ; Chelius, C. ; Boppidi, K. ; Naik, N. ; Hossain, S. ; Ramsey, J. ; Kumar, J. ; Ribeiro, L. ; Ostermeier, M. ; Tran, B. ; Goo, Y. ; de Assis, L. J. ; Ulas, M. ; Bayram, O. ; Goldman, G. H. ; Lincoln, S. ; Srivastava, R. ; Harris, S. ; Marten, M. Comprehensive analysis of A. nidulans PKA phosphorylome identifies a novel mode of CreA regulation. mBio, 2019.
5. Ries, L. A. N. ; de Castro, P. A. ; de Lima, P. B. A. ; Manfiolli, A. O. ; de Assis, L. J. ; Hagiwara, D. ; Goldman, G. H. Nutritional Heterogeneity Among Aspergillus fumigatus Strains Has Consequences For Virulence In a Strain- And Host-Dependent Manner. Front Microbiol, 2019.
6. Manfioli, A. ; Mattos, E. ; de Assis, L. J. ; Silva, L. P. ; Ulas, M. ; Brown, N. A. ; Bayram, O. ; Goldman, G. H. Aspergillus fumigatus high osmolarity glycerol mitogen activated protein kinases SakA and MpkC physically interact during osmotic and cell wall stresses. Front Microbiol, 2019.
7. Manfiolli, A ; Siqueira, F. ; Reis, T. ; Dijck, P. V. ; Schrevens, S. ; Hoefgen, S. ; Foge, M. ; Strassburger, M. ; de Assis, L.J. ; Heinekamp, T. ; Rocha, M. ; Janevska, S. ; Brakhage, A. ; Malavazi, I. ; Goldman, G. H. ; Valiante, V. Mitogen activated protein kinase cross-talk interaction modulates the production of melanins in Aspergillus fumigatus. mBio, 2019; 10 (2), e00215-19.
8. de Assis LJ, Manfiolli A, Mattos E, Fabri JHTM, Malavazi I, Jacobsen ID, Brock M, Cramer RA, Thammahong A, Hagiwara D, Ries LNA, Goldman GH. 2018. Protein Kinase A and High-Osmolarity Glycerol Response Pathways Cooperatively Control Cell Wall Carbohydrate Mobilization in Aspergillus fumigatus. mBio. 2018; 9, e01952-18.
9. de Assis LJ, Ulas M, Ries LAN, Ramli NAME, Sarikaya-Bayram O, et al. Regulation of Aspergillus nidulans CreA-mediated catabolite repression by the F-box proteins Fbx23 and Fbx47. mBio. 2018; 9, e00840-18.
10. Ries LAN, de Assis LJ, Rodrigues FJS, Caldana C, Rocha MC, Malavazi I, et al. The Aspergillus nidulans pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases are essential to integrate carbon source metabolism. G3 Genes/Genome/Genetics. 2018; g3.200411.2018.
11. Manfiolli A, Fernanda Dos Reis T, de Assis LJ, Pereira Silva L, Hori JI, Walker L, et al. Mitogen-activated kinases (MAPK) and protein phosphatases are involved in Aspergillus fumigatus adhesion and biofilm formation. Cell Surf. 2018; 1, 43-56.
12. Ries LNA, Rocha M, de Castro P, Silva-Rocha R, Silva R, Freitas F, de Assis LJ, Bertolini MC, Malavazi I and Goldman GH. The Aspergillus fumigatus CrzA transcription factor activates chitin synthase gene expression during the caspofungin paradoxical effect. mBio 2017;8:e00705-17.
13. dos Reis TF, Nitsche BM, de Lima PBA, de Assis LJ, Mellado L, Harris SD, et al. The low-affinity glucose transporter HxtB is also involved in glucose signaling and metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans. Sci Reports Nature 2017;7:45073.
14. de Oliveira Bruder Nascimento ACM, dos Reis TF, de Castro PA, Hori JI, Bom VLP, de Assis LJ, Ramalho LNZ, Rocha MC, Malavazi I, Brown NA, Valiante V, Brakhage AA, Hagiwara D, Goldman GH: Mitogen-activated protein kinases SakA HOG1 and MpkC collaborate for Aspergillus fumigatus virulence. Mol Microbiol 2016; 100:841-859.
15. de Assis LJ, Ries LNA, Savoldi M, dos Reis TF, Brown NA, Goldman GH: Aspergillus nidulans protein kinase A plays an important role in cellulase production. Biotechnol Biofuels 2015, 8:213–223.
16. de Assis LJ, Ries LNA, Savoldi M, Dinamarco TM, Goldman GH, Brown N a.: Multiple Phosphatases Regulate Carbon Source Dependent Germination and Primary Metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans. G3 Genes/Genome/Genetics 2015, 5:1–17.
17. de Assis LJ, Zingali RB, Masuda CA, Rodrigues SP, Montero-Lomelí M: Pyruvate decarboxylase activity is regulated by the Ser/Thr protein phosphatase Sit4p in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. FEMS Yeast Res 2013, 13:518–28.
18. Masuda C a., Previato JO, Miranda MN, de Assis LJ, Penha LL, Mendonça-Previato L, Montero-Lomelí M: Overexpression of the aldose reductase GRE3 suppresses lithium-induced galactose toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. FEMS Yeast Res 2008, 8:1245–1253.
19. Tomizawa MM, Dias ES, de Assis LJ, Gomide PHO, Dos Santos JB: Genetic variability of mushroom strains Agaricus blazei by RAPD markers. Cienc Agrotec 2007, 31:1242–1249.
Awards
Cover Illustration mBio November/December Volume 9, N˚ 6 (de Assis et al., mBio 9:e01952-18, 2018), American Society of Microbiology (ASM).
Patent
2014 Engineered yeast strain that reduces the production of foam during fermentation processes, Patent number: BR10201400268, National Institute of Intellectual Property, Brazil.
Grant
2020 Independent researcher Marie-Curie MSCA-IF-EF-ST H2020 94.40% score (Nuclear Regulators of Fungal Enzymes), National University of Ireland - Maynooth.