Dr. Lorraine C. Olendzenski
Assistant Professor of Biology
Office: Johnson Hall of Science 228
Phone: 315-229-5816, fax: 315-229-7429
email: lolendzenski@stlawu.edu

Education:

Postdoctoral Researcher Josephine Bay Paul Center , MBL, Woods Hole

Ph.D. 2004 Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut , Storrs

M.S. 1994 Biology, University of Massachusetts , Amherst

B.A., 1989 Biology, Boston University

Courses Offered:

Introductory Microbiology BIOL 221

Genetics BIOL 245

Microbial Ecology SPTP

Research Interests:

I am broadly interested in microbial diversity, the early evolution of microbial life on Earth and the interactions of microbes with the environment. I’m also interested in the genetic processes that have contributed to cell evolution including horizontal gene transfer and symbiosis in the evolution of eukaryotic cells. In my lab we use a variety of culture, microscopy, genetic and bioinformatics techniques and tools to help answer questions about microbial evolution.

Current projects: I’m interested in the microbes associated with desert varnish, a thin coating of manganese and iron oxides that forms on the surface of rocks in arid regions. In collaboration with Randall Perry and Mitch Sogin, we are exploring which organisms are present on and in varnish using a molecular based approach of sequencing rRNA of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbes. We have found a number of sequences from ascomycete fungi present on the surface of these rocks as well as those from cyanobacteria. Student Emily Gotta (’06) isolated, cloned and sequenced the DNA we use in this project.

I’m also interested in what the earliest types of eukaryotic cells might have been like, and what symbiotic processes contributed to their evolution. In my lab we culture a variety of protists from anaerobic environments including salt marsh and freshwater sediments. These organisms are then used for microscopy and molecular phylogeny (evolutionary tree building) projects. Students John Shaw, Justin Brodowski and Eileen Svendsen (’06) all helped to culture and isolate rRNA from the anaerobic flagellate Pseudotrichomonas keilini, which is now being used for a sequencing project.

Selected publications:

Randall S. Perry, R.S., Lynne, B.Y., Mcloughlin, N., Kolb, V.M., Sephton, M., Olendzenski, L. Engel, M.H., Brasier, M., Staley, J.T., 2005. “How desert varnish forms?”, Proc. SPIE Vol. 5906, Astrobiology and Planetary Missions; Hoover, R. B., Levin G.V., Rozanov, A.Y. , and Gladstone, G.R.; Eds, pp. 276-287.

Gogarten, J. P., Senejani, A. G., Zhaxybayeva, O., Olendzenski, L. and Hilario, E. 2002. Inteins: Structure, Function, and Evolution. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 56:263-287.

Olendzenski, L., Zhaxybayeva, O., and Gogarten, J.P. 2001. Horizontal Gene Transfer: A new taxonomic principle? In: Horizontal Gene Transfer 2nd ed., Syvanen, M. (ed.) Chapman and Hall, London . pp. 427-435.

Olendzenski, L., Liu, L., Zhaxybayeva, O., Murphey, R., Shin, D.G., and Gogarten, J.P. 2000. Horizontal Transfer of Archaeal Genes into the Deinococcaceae: Detection by Molecular and Computer Based Approaches. Journal of Molecular Evolution. 51(6):587-599.

Gogarten, J.P., Murphey R.D., and Olendzenski, L. 1999. Horizontal Gene Transfer: Pitfalls and Promises. Biological Bulletin. 196:359-362.

Olendzenski, L. 1999. Growth, fine structure, and cyst formation in a microbial mat ciliate Pseudocohnilembus pusillus (Ciliophora, Scuticociliatida). Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 46:132-141.

Olendzenski, L. and Gogarten, P. 1999. Gene Transfer in Early Evolution. In Enigmatic Microbes and Life in Extreme Environments, J. Seckbach (ed.) Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherlands . pp. 15-27.

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