Assistant Professor
Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine

Phone: 979-845-5399
Fax: 979-847-9481
Email: sebondos@medicine.tamhsc.edu

Education

Sarah Bondos is an Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Medicine. She received her B.S. in Chemistry with honors and distinction from the University of North Carolina in 1993, and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois in 1998 working with Dr. Stephen Sligar and Dr. Jiri Jonas. Her postdoctoral work was at Rice University, working with Dr. Kathleen Matthews.

Research Interests

Hox transcription factors as master regulators and biomaterials

Hox transcription factors drive key aspects of development, evolution, wound repair, stem cell differentiation, and carcinogenesis. Animal survival requires individual Hox proteins to sense the cellular context and implement the corresponding gene regulatory cascades. However, the Hox DNA binding homeodomains lack the requisite interaction specificity. Our lab is discovering regions outside Hox homeodomains that enhance DNA binding specificity and respond to conformational changes,tissue-specific alternative splicing, protein interactions, and cell signaling cascades. We explore these mechanisms in vitro and in vivo using a combination of biophysical, cell biological, and genetic approaches.

We have also developed methods to control aggregation of the Drosophila Hox protein Ultrabithorax to generate novel biomaterials. These materials self-associate into fibers 50 nm in diameter, which further assemble into remarkablely strong and elastic materials: films, thick sheets, ropes, bundles, lattices, and baskets. We are characterizing the structure and mechanical properties of these biomaterials, and integrating novel functions via nanoparticles and heterologous proteins.

Recent Publications

Greer, AM, Huang, A, Oriakhi, A., Lu, Y, Lou, J, Matthews, KS, Bondos, SE "The Drosophila Transcription Factor Ultrabithorax Self-Assembles into Protein-Based Biomaterials with Multiple Morphologies" (2009) Biomacromolecules, in press.

Liu, Y, Matthews, KS, Bondos, SE "Multiple Intriniscally Disordered Sequences Alter DNA Binding by the Homeodomain of the Drosophila Hox protein Ultrabithorax" (2008) J. Biol. Chem. 283, 20874-20887.

Bondos, SE, Tan, XX, Matthews, KS. "Physical and Genetic Interactions Link Hox Function With Diverse Transcription Factors." (2006) Molecular and Cellular Proteomics. 5, 824-834.

Bondos, SE, Catanese, DJ Jr., Tan, XX, Ware, AA, Li, L, Matthews, KS. "Hox Protein Ultrabithorax Interacts with a dsRNA-Binding Protein, UbxBP1" (2004) Journal of Biological Chemistry. 279, 26433-26444.

Bondos, SE, Bicknell, AA. "Prediction and Prevention of Protein Aggregation Before, During, And After Purification" (2003) Analytical Biochemistry. 316, 223-231.