Research Interests
I am interested in the protein-protein interactions that bring about changes in gene expression. There are numerous proteins that were previously only thought to recognize post-translational modifications in histones, but are now known to interact with many non-histone proteins as well. Coupled with the fact that there are many unique proteins that bind RNA and DNA present at gene promoters, the formation of protein complexes becomes both dynamic and intricate. I am currently assessing what factors affect complex formation between ribonucleoproteins and interleukin enhancer binding factor 3 (ILF3). This may play an important role in general gene expression as well as immune response.
Complexes only form given sufficient binding affinity. In a methodological direction, I am exploring simplified protein binding assays that would be more widely accessible to labs with limited instrument/equipment access.
Publications
1. Wagner, S.; Kuwik, J.; Fedorov, L.; Sudhamalla, B.; Jnawali, H.; Debiec, R.; Ghosh, A.; Islam, K. “Uncovering the Bromodomain Interactome using Site-Specific Photochemistry, Proteomic and Structural Profiling” bioRxiv, doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.0728.453719. Manuscript in preparation
2. Kuwik, J.; Hinkelman, K; Waldman, M.; Stepler, K. E.; Wagner, S; Arora, S.;
Chernenkoff, S.; Cabalteja, C.; Sidoli, S; Robinson, R. AS; Islam, K. “Activity Guided Azidemethyllysine Photo-trapping for Substrate Profiling of Lysine Demethylases.” JACS Articles ASAP, 2023. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jacs.3c07299
3. Kuwik, J.; Wagner,S.; Sudhamalla, B.; Debiec, R.; Islam, K. “Hydrophobic cavitydirected azide-acetyllysine photochemistry for profiling non-histone interacting partners of bromodomain protein 1.” RSC Chem. Biol., 2022,3, 1061-1068. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/cb/d2cb00043a
4. Wagner, S.; Sudhamalla, B.; Mannes, P.; Sappa, S.; Kavoosi, S.; Dey, D.; Wang, S.;
Islam, K. “Engineering bromodomains with a photoactive amino acid by engaging
‘Privileged’ tRNA synthetases.” Chem. Commun., 2020, 56, 3641-3644. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9CC09891G
5. Wagner, S.; Waldman, M.; Arora, S.; Wang, S.; Scott, V.; Islam, K. “Allele‐Specific
Inhibition of Histone Demethylases.” ChemBioChem., 2019, 20, 1133. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.201800756