Associate Professor
Office: RIC 223
email:
tanya.dahms@uregina.ca
Phone: (306) 585-4246
Fax: (306) 337-2409
Physical Biochemistry.
BSc (Waterloo), PhD (Ottawa), Postdoctoral Studies (Purdue, NRC).
Introductory Biochemistry, Metabolism, Biophysics, Microscopy and Imaging.
The Dahms group studies the mechanisms underlying polarized growth, including lipid domain formation and carbohydrate remodelling. We are currently studying domain formation in supported planar bilayers of complex lipid systems such as E. coli total lipids, and membrane fractions from whole cells. We use a battery of biophysical techniques including atomic force- (AF-) and scanning electron microscopies (SEM). Of special interest to the group is how cell wall remodelling is affected by growth, differentiation, and biofilm formation in wild type and mutant microbes. We have developed techniques to study the surface remodelling associated with polarized and non-polarized growth in whole, live cells of moss and fungi by AFM, and to study invasion mechanisms for pathogenic and symbiotic bacteria.
This research is currently supported by the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the University of Regina. Past and current funding agencies are listed below.
Jun, A. D., Signo, K., Yost, C. M. and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2011) AFM of a ctpA mutant in Rhizobium leguminosarum reveals surface property defects linking ctpA function to biofilm formation. Microbiology 157, 3049 - 3058. [NSERC, CFI]
Paul, B. C., El-Ganiny, A., Abbas, M., Kaminskyj, S. and Dahms, T. E. S. (2011) The role of galactofuranose in the organization of Aspergillus nidulans hyphal wall surfaces. Eukaryotic Cell 10 , 646-653. [NSERC , CFI ]
Dahms, T. E. S. , McMartin, D. W. and Petry, R. A. (2010) RCE [Regional center of Expertise] Saskatchewan : The Canadian prairies create synergy for urban and rural ESD [education for sustainable development]. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development 4 , 117-130. (invited) [SK Go Green Fund]
Wyatt, H. D. M. , Ashton, N. W., and Dahms, T. E. S. (2008) Cell wall architecture of Physcomitrella patens is revealed by AFM. Botany, 86, 385–397. [ NSERC , CFI ]
Kaminskyj, S. G. W. and Dahms, T. E. S. (2008) High spatial resolution surface imaging and analysis of fungal cells using SEM and AFM. Micron 39 , 349-361. ( 9 ) (invited review). [NSERC , CFI ]
Dahms, T. E. S. , McMartin, D. W. and Petry, R. A. (2008) Saskatchewan's (Canada) regional centre of expertise on ESD. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 9 , 382-401. (invited) [SK Go Green Fund]
Swift, J. L. , Burger, M., Massotte, D., Dahms, T. E. S. and Cramb, D. T. (2007) Two-photon excitation fluorescence cross-correlation assay for ligand-receptor binding: cell membrane nanopatches containing the human m -opioid receptor. Analytical Chemistry 79, 6783-6791. ( 10 ) [ NSERC CRD ]
Ma, H., Snook L. A., Tian, C. H . , Kaminskyj, S. G. W. and Dahms, T. E. S. (2006) Fungal surface remodeling visualized by AFM. Mycological Research 110, 879-886. ( 14 ) [NSERC, CFI ]
Tian C., Tétreault, E., Huang, C. K. , and Dahms, T. E. S. (2006) Amphipathy of colicin E1 and its interaction with E. coli total lipid . Biochemica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes 1758, 693-701. ( 4 ) [NSERC, CFI ]
Ma, H., Snook, L. A. , Kaminskyj, S. and Dahms, T. E. S. (2005) Surface ultrastructure and elasticity in growing tips and mature regions of Aspergillus hyphae describe wall maturation. Microbiology 151, 3679-3688. ( 30 ) [ NSERC ]
Dahms, T. E. S. , Sianz, G., Giroux, E. L., Caperelli, C. A. and Smith, J. L. (2005 ) The apo and ternary-complexed structures of human glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase. Biochemistry 44, 9841-9850. [SK Health Research Foundation (SHRF); formerly HSURC]
Book Chapters in Press:
Paul, B. C., Snook, L., Ma, H. and Dahms, T. E. S. ( Accepted 10.7.2011 ) High spatial resolution surface imaging and analysis of fungal cells using AFM and force spectroscopy. In Laboratory Protocols in Fungal Biology, Eds. V.K. Gupta et al., USA. [NSERC, CFI ]
Dahms, T. E. S. , McMartin, D. W. and Petry, R. A. (Accepted 22.1.2010) RCE Saskatchewan: Overcoming traditional boundaries in advancing ESD. UNU press, Tokyo, Japan. [SK Go Green Fund]