Area(s) of Expertise: Microbiology, Virology, Molecular Genetics, Environmental Microbiology , Microbial Bioremediation (Advising Area of Expertise: Biology, Pre-Physical Therapy)
Dr. Kanak’s research interests focus on microbiology and specifically gene regulation within microbes. Her first biological love was viruses and so her background began with investigation of the apoptotic effects of infection with Rubella virus. This work lead to the discovery that this virus inhibits progression of the cell cycle until full assembled, at which point apoptosis is initiated. Further studies included identifying and characterizing genetic pathways involved in the degradation toxic aromatic compounds by anaerobic bacteria. Geobacter dalontii was the first anaerobic bacterium found capable of degrading benzene in anaerobic conditions. Details of the pathway were investigated using a combination of bioinformatics tools and traditional microbiology along with the role of sigma 54 in the regulation of the pathway.
Currently Dr. Kanak is working on identifying and characterizing novel bacteriophage from environmental samples that infect bacteria. Students working on this project will employ a combination of bioinformatics and molecular biology techniques to analyze/annotate the genomes of these novel phage and test the functionality of the genes in vivo. Future studies will include characterization of phage proteins and genetics towards the goal of further knowledge of molecular pathways in Arthrobacter globiformis as well as continuing to discover novel phage from environmental samples.
Lantis C*, Mattison E*, Miller S*, Williams A*, Kanak A. Characterization and Genome Sequence for Gordonia phage Amore2. Submitted to Microbial Resource Announcements 2022.
Daly K, Nesbit A*, Buchholz J*, Kanak A. Characterization and Genome Sequence of Arthrobacter phage Iter. Submitted to Microbial Resource Announcements 2022.
Rhinehart WD*, Laidlaw AJ*, O'Neal AM*, Toller JA*, Segura-Totten M, Shanks RA, Kanak AE. Characterization and Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium Phage XianYue. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2020 Jun 18;9(25):e00459-20. doi: 10.1128/MRA.00459-20. PMID: 32554787; PMCID: PMC7303407.