Zakład Genetyki Molekularnej Komórki

ul. M. Curie Skłodowskiej 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz
budynek dydaktyczny patomorfologii
tel.: +48 52 585 34 92
e-mail: kizgenmolkom@cm.umk.pl

Szpital Uniwersytecki nr 1 im. dr. A. Jurasza [fot. M. Kowalikowski] budynek dydaktyczny patomorfologii ul. M. Curie Skłodowskiej 9 [fot. M. Kowalikowski]

Department of Molecular and Cell Genetics

Research area

Research activities performed in our Department are focusing on the olfactory system and olfactory dysfunction in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and COVID-19.

We assume that better understanding of physiological roles of APP family proteins and APP-derived proteolytic fragments in the olfactory pathway would will provide novel insights on AD pathogenesis.

Our studies on mechanism of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 aim to identify novel coronavirus entry factors and its examine its neuroinvasive potential.

Main research topics carried out in our Department:

  • searching for biological functions of APP family proteins and its processing products in the mouse/ mammalian olfactory and nervous system

  • unravelling mechanisms responsible for trafficking and sorting of APP in neurons

  • searching for biomarkers in the olfactory system for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease

  • characterization of mouse models of COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease

  • expression of SARS-CoV-2 host receptor ACE2, protease TMPRSS2 and other entry factors

  • investigation of olfactory dysfunction in the COVID-19: mechanism and potential routes of SARS-CoV-2 for brain infection

Keywords:

  • Olfactory system, nervous system
  • APP family proteins
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • COVID-19
  • SARS-CoV-2, coronaviruses
  • Transgenic mouse models
  • Anosmia, chemosensory dysfunction

Research funding

  1. “Excellence Initiative -Research University” grant – the Nicolaus Copernicus University
  2. Polish National Science Centre (UMO-2014/09/B/NZ3/02359)

Selected publications:

von Bartheld, C.S., Mathew, D., Butowt, R. (2021). New study on prevalence of anosmia in COVID‑19 implicates the D614G virus mutation as a major contributing factor to chemosensory dysfunction. European Archives of Otho-Rhino-Laryngology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-06759-9.

Butowt, R., Bilinska, K., von Bartheld, C. S. (2020). Chemosensory Dysfunction in COVID-19: Integration of Genetic and Epidemiological Data Points to D614G Spike Protein Variant as a Contributing Factor. ACS Chem. Neurosci. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00596.

Bilinska, K., Jakubowska, P., Von Bartheld, C. S., Butowt, R. (2020). Expression of the SARS-CoV-2 Entry Proteins, ACE2 and TMPRSS2, in Cells of the Olfactory Epithelium: Identification of Cell Types and Trends with Age. ACS Chem.Neurosci. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00210.

Butowt, R., von Bartheld, C. S. (2020). Anosmia in COVID-19: Underlying Mechanisms and Assessment of an Olfactory Route to Brain Infection.Neuroscientist doi:10.1177/1073858420956905.

Bilinska, K., Butowt, R. (2020). Anosmia in COVID-19: A Bumpy Road to Establishing a Cellular Mechanism. ACS Chem. Neurosci. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00406.

Butowt, R., Bilinska, K. (2020). SARS-CoV-2: Olfaction, Brain Infection, and the Urgent Need for Clinical Samples Allowing Earlier Virus Detection. ACS Chem.Neurosci. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00172.

Butowt, R., Pyrc, K., von Bartheld, C. S. (2020). Battle at the entrance gate: CIITA as a weapon to prevent the internalization of SARS-CoV-2 and Ebola viruses. Signal Transduction & Targeted Therapy. 5(1), 278. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-020-00405-2.

von Bartheld, C. S., Hagen, M. M., Butowt, R. (2020). Prevalence of Chemosensory Dysfunction in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Reveals Significant Ethnic Differences. ACS Chem. Neurosci. 11(19), 2944–2961. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00460.

Bilinska, K., Jakubowska, P., Woźniak, A., Butowt. R. (2018). Facts and speculations on the infectious nature of Alzheimer’s disease. Postępy Higieny i Medycyny Doświadczalnej. T.72, 830-845.

Crozet, P., Margalha, L., Butowt, R., Fernandes, N., Elias, C. A., Orosa, B., Tomanov, K., Teige, M., Bachmair, A., Sadanandom, A., Baena-González, E. (2016). SUMOylation represses SnRK1 signaling in Arabidopsis. The Plant Journal. 85(1), 120–133. https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13096.

Login, H., Butowt, R., Bohm, S. (2015). Activity-dependent and graded BACE1 expression in the olfactory epithelium is mediated by the retinoic acid metabolizing enzyme CYP26B1. Brain Structure & Function. 220(4), 2143–2157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0783-z.