Achim Schnaufer
Contact details
- Tel: 0131 650 5548
- Email: Achim.Schnaufer@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
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Rm. 3.57, Ashworth Building
- City
- Post code
Background
1991 - 1992 Diploma student, University of Giessen
1993 - 1997 PhD studentship (Research Assistant), University of Bern
1998 - 2002 Senior Research Fellow, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (SBRI)
2002 - 2003 Research Associate, SBRI and University of Washington
2003 - 2006 Associate Scientist, SBRI
2007 - 2008 Senior Scientist, SBRI
2008 - 2013 MRC Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh
2014 - 2018 MRC Senior Research Fellow, Reader in Parasite and Mitochondrial Biology, University of Edinburgh
2018 - present MRC Senior Research Fellow, Professor in Parasite and Mitochondrial Biology, University of Edinburgh
Undergraduate teaching
Research summary
http://schnauferlab.bio.ed.ac.uk/
Our lab aims to understand mitochondrial biogenesis, metabolism and RNA processing in trypanosomatid protozoa, which are important parasites of man and livestock, and to utilize that knowledge to inform drug development.
In particular, our studies are concentrated on the following two areas:
Mitochondrial function in bloodstream stage trypanosomes
This project is aimed at shedding light on the essential - and currently quite elusive - role that the mitochondrion plays in the disease-causing (bloodstream) stage of trypanosomes. It also aims to identify the adaptations that allow so-called dyskinetoplastic trypanosomes to survive the loss of their mitochondrial genome.
Evaluation of the trypanosome RNA editing complex as a drug target
RNA editing is an unusual form of post-transcriptional processing of mitochondrial mRNAs in these organisms. It is catalyzed by a macromolecular complex and of vital importance for the parasite. The goal of this project is to assess the potential of its essential components as drug targets. Of particular interest is RNA editing ligase 1 (REL1), the three-dimensional structure of which we recently determined.
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Trypanosome RNA helicase KREH2 differentially controls noncanonical editing and putative repressive structure via a novel proposed “bifunctional” gRNA in mRNA A6
(35 pages)
In:
NAR Genomics and Bioinformatics
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Metabolic insights into phosphofructokinase inhibition in bloodstream-form trypanosomes
(9 pages)
In:
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, vol. 13, pp. 1-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1129791
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Deep kinetoplast genome analyses result in a novel molecular assay for detecting trypanosoma brucei gambiense-specific minicircles
In:
NAR Genomics and Bioinformatics, vol. 4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nargab/lqac081
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Molecular analysis of trypanosome infections in Algerian camels
(8 pages)
In:
Acta Parasitologica, vol. 67, pp. 1246-1253
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-022-00577-7
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Organization of minicircle cassettes and guide RNA genes of Trypanosoma brucei
(21 pages)
In:
RNA, vol. 28, pp. 972-992
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1261/rna.079022.121
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Oxidative phosphorylation is required for powering motility and development of the sleeping sickness parasite Trypanosoma brucei in the tsetse fly vector
(24 pages)
In:
mBio, vol. 13
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.02357-21
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
A novel high-content phenotypic screen to identify inhibitors of mitochondrial DNA maintenance in trypanosomes
In:
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.01980-21
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
rKOMICS: An R package for processing mitochondrial minicircle assemblies in population-scale genome projects
(14 pages)
In:
BMC Bioinformatics, vol. 22
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12859-021-04384-1
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Divergent metabolism between Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma brucei results in differential sensitivity to metabolic inhibition
In:
PLoS Pathogens, vol. 17
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009734
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Bioenergetic consequences of FoF1-ATP synthase/ATPase deficiency in two life cycle stages of Trypanosoma brucei
(17 pages)
In:
Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 296
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100357
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Parallel monitoring of RNA abundance, localisation and compactness with correlative single molecule FISH on LR White embedded samples
In:
Nucleic Acids Research
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkaa1142
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Ecological divergence and hybridization of neotropical leishmania parasites
(10 pages)
In:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), vol. 117, pp. 25159-25168
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1920136117
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Site-specific and mRNA-specific control of accurate mRNA editing by a helicase complex in trypanosomes
In:
RNA, vol. 26
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1261/rna.076513.120
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Lexis and grammar of mitochondrial RNA processing in Trypanosomes
(19 pages)
In:
Trends in Parasitology, vol. 36, pp. 337-355
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2020.01.006
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Assembly and annotation of the mitochondrial minicircle genome of a differentiation-competent strain of Trypanosoma brucei
In:
Nucleic Acids Research
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkz928
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Equine trypanosomosis: Enigmas and diagnostic challenges
In:
Parasites and Vectors, vol. 12
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-019-3484-x
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
TbUTP10, a protein involved in early stages of pre-18S rRNA processing in Trypanosoma brucei
(10 pages)
In:
Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, vol. 225, pp. 84-93
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molbiopara.2018.09.003
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Pharmacological Inhibition of the Vacuolar ATPase in Bloodstream-Form Trypanosoma brucei Rescues Genetic Knockdown of Mitochondrial Gene Expression
(7 pages)
In:
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, vol. 62
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.02268-17
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Mitochondrial DNA is critical for longevity and metabolism of transmission stage Trypanosoma brucei
(30 pages)
In:
PLoS Pathogens, vol. 14, pp. e1007195
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1007195
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Emerging challenges in understanding trypanosome antigenic variation
(8 pages)
In:
Emerging Topics in Life Sciences, vol. 1, pp. 585-592
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1042/ETLS20170104
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)