SzSA YearBook 2016/17

SZENT-GYÖRGYI MENTORS
GÁBOR JUHÁSZ
Institute of Genetics,
Biological Research Center of the
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Address: Temesvári krt 62., H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
E: juhasz.gabor@brc.mta.hu
T: +36 62/599-793
RESEARCH AREA
Autophagy is one of the major degradative pathways in
eukaryotic cells. During the main route, portions of cytosol
and organelles are captured into double-membrane autophagosomes,
which then fuse with lysosomes to deliver their
cargo for degradation and reuse. Our group is studying the
role and mechanisms of autophagy mainly using the popular
animal model Drosophila. We are particularly interested
in the mechanisms of autophagosome-lysosome fusion: we
have identified several new fusion factors in recent years,
and further ones are currently being characterized. The
long-term aim of this project is to biochemically reconstitute
autophagosome-lysosome fusion in vitro.
TECHNIQUES AVAILABLE IN THE LAB
Genetic manipulation of Drosophila: gene knockouts,
transgenic reporter constructs, mosaic analysis. Confocal
microscopy, autophagic degradation and endocytic uptake
and degradation assays. Transmission electron microscopy.
Western blots, immunoprecipitations, proteomic analysis
(done by the core facility). Cell culture facilities, yeast
two-hybrid, molecular cloning, RT-PCR and qPCR. Purification
of recombinant proteins, biochemical assays, antibody
production.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Lorincz, P., Lakatos, Z., Varga, A., Maruzs, T., Simon-Vecsei,
Z., Darula, Z., Benko, P., Csordas, G., Lippai, M., Ando, I.,
Hegedus, K., Medzihradszky, K., Takats, S., Juhasz, G.
(2016) MiniCORVET is a Vps8-containing hemocyte- and
nephrocyte-specific early endosomal tether in Drosophila.
Elife, 5. pii: e14226.
Takáts, S., Pircs, K., Nagy, P., Varga, Á., Kárpáti, M., Hegedűs,
K., Kramer, H., Kovács, A.L., Sass, M., Juhász, G. (2014) Interaction
of the HOPS complex with Syntaxin 17 mediates
autophagosome clearance in Drosophila. Mol Biol Cell 25:
1338-54.
Nagy, P., Varga, A., Pircs, K., Hegedus, K., Juhasz, G. (2013)
Myc-Driven Overgrowth Requires Unfolded Protein
Response- Mediated Induction of Autophagy and
Antioxidant Responses in Drosophila melanogaster. Plos
Genet 9: e1003664.
Takats, S., Nagy, P., Varga, A., Pircs, K., Karpati, M., Varga, K.,
Kovacs, A.L., Hegedus, K., Juhasz, G. (2013) Auto phagosomal
Syntaxin17-dependent lysosomal degradation maintains
neuronal function in Drosophila. J Cell Biol 201: 531-539.
Juhász, G., Erdi, B., Sass, M., Neufeld, T.P. (2007) Atg7-
dependent autophagy promotes neuronal health,
stress tolerance, and longevity but is dispensable for
metamorphosis in Drosophila. Genes Dev 21: 3061-6.
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