The Reynolds lab focuses on the roles of the phospholipids phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS) in regulating virulence, cell wall composition, and biofilm formation in the pathogenic yeasts Candida albicans and Candida glabrata (most prevelant human fungal pathogens), and the nonpathogenic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (a powerful single-celled eukaryotic genetic model organism). Projects include: 1) Validating unique fungal lipid synthesis enzymes and/or transcriptional regulators as potential antifungal drug targets. In C. albicans, the Cho1p PS synthase is necessary for disease, and is therefore a good antivirulence drug target that is conserved throughout fungi, but is not found in mammals. In Candida glabrata the Opi1p transcription factor, which is unique to fungi, is necessary for viability, and therefore may be a good drug target. 2) Discovering the roles of PS and PE in regulating signal transduction cascades that affect the fungal cell wall (an important factor in fungal virulence). We are using transcriptomic, lipidomic, and cell wall carbohydrate analyses along with genetic and cell biology approaches to address this question in fungi. 3) Elucidating how PS, PE, and associated membrane proteins on the plasma membrane and endosomal protein sorting compartment regulate biofilm formation in fungi.

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• Sarode N, Miracle B, Peng X, Ryan O, Reynolds TB. Vacuolar protein sorting genes regulate mat formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Flo11p-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Eukaryot Cell. 2011 Nov;10(11):1516-26. PubMed PMID: 21908597.
• Chen YL, Montedonico AE, Kauffman S, Dunlap JR, Menn FM, Reynolds TB. Phosphatidylserine synthase and phosphatidylserine decarboxylase are essential for cell wall integrity and virulence in Candida albicans. Mol Microbiol. 2010 Mar;75(5):1112-32. PubMed PMID: 20132453.
• Bethea EK, Carver BJ, Montedonico AE, Reynolds TB. The inositol regulon controls viability in Candida glabrata. Microbiology. 2010 Feb;156(Pt 2):452-62. PubMed PMID: 19875437
• Chen YL, Kauffman S, Reynolds TB. Candida albicans uses multiple mechanisms to acquire the essential metabolite inositol during infection. Infect Immun. 2008 Jun;76(6):2793-801. PubMed PMID: 18268031
• Reynolds TB, Jansen A, Peng X, Fink GR. Mat formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires nutrient and pH gradients. Eukaryot Cell. 2008 Jan;7(1):122-30. PubMed PMID: 17951523

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B.S., 1993, Western Kentucky University

Ph.D., 1999, Vanderbilt University

Postdoctoral Fellow, 1999-2003, Whitehead Institute