Carolyn M. Teschke

Professor and Department Head

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology


Education

  • Post-doctoral training, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Ph.D., Washington State University

Research Focus

  • Biochemical, biophysical, and mutational analysis of virus assembly, especially of the thermodynamics of capsid assembly and maturation reactions.
  • The role of the two SecA homologs in protein export in mycobacterium tuberculosis.
  • Protein folding in vivo and in vitro. Interaction of folding intermediates with molecular chaperones.

Publications

Keeping it together: structure, functions and applications of viral decoration proteins. Dedeo, C.L., Teschke, C.M.*, Alexandrescu, A.T.* (2020) Viruses. 12:1163. doi: 10.3390/v12101163. *co-corresponding authors (Review).

NMR Mapping of Disordered Segments from a Viral Scaffolding Protein Encapsulated in a 23 MDa Procapsid Complex. Whitehead III, R.D., Teschke, C.M.*, Alexandrescu, A.T.* (2019) Biophys. J., 17(8):1387-1392. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.08.038. *co-corresponding authors

Portal protein: the orchestrator of capsid assembly for the dsDNA tailed bacteriophages and herpesviruses. Dedeo C., Cingolani, G., Teschke, C.M. (2019) Ann. Review of Virology, 6:141-160. doi: 10.1146/annurev-virology-092818-015819

Of capsid structure and stability: the partnership between charged residues of E-loop and P-domain of the bacteriophage P22 coat protein. Asija, K., Teschke C.M. (2019) Virology, 534:45-53. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.05.021.

A hydrophobic network: Intersubunit and intercapsomer interactions stabilizing the bacteriophage P22 capsid. Asija, K., Teschke, C.M. (2019) J. Virol., May 8. pii: JVI.00727-19. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00727-19.

The phage L capsid decoration protein has a novel OB-fold and an unusual capsid binding strategy.  Newcomer, R.L., Schrad, J.R.,Gilcrease, E.B.,Casjens, S.R., Feig, M., Teschke, C.M., Alexandrescu, A.T., and Parent, K.N (2019) Elife, 8:e45345. doi: 10.7554/eLife.45345.

The amazing HK97 fold: versatile results of modest differences. Duda, R.L., Teschke, C.M. (2019) Curr. Opin. Virol., 36:9-16, doi: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.02.001.

The architect of virus assembly: portal protein nucleates procapsid assembly in bacteriophage P22. Motwani, T., Teschke, C.M. (2019). J. Virol., 93:e00187-19. doi: 0.1128/JVI.00187-19. Selected by editors for a JVi Spotlight.

Conservation and divergence of the I-domain inserted into the ubiquitous HK97 coat protein fold in the P22-like bacteriophages. Tripler, T.N., Kaplan, A.R., Alexandrescu, A.T., and Teschke, C.M. (2019) J. Virol., 93:e00007-19. doi:10.1128/JVI.00007-19.

NMR assignments of Decorator, a phage-cementing 43 kDa homotrimer. Newcomer, R.L., Belato, H., Teschke, C.M., Alexandrescu, A.A. (2018) Biomol. NMR Assignments. 12, 339-343. doi: 10.1007/s12104-018-9836-1 *co-corresponding authors

Lessons from bacteriophages I: Deriving utility from protein structure, function and evolution. Asija, K., Teschke, C.M. (2018) PLOS Pathogens Pearls, 14, e1006971. doi:  10.137/journal.ppat.116971. .

Lessons from bacteriophages II: A saga of scientific breakthroughs and prospects for their use in human health. Asija, K., Teschke, C.M. (2018) PLOS Pathogens Pearls, 14, e1006970. doi: 10.137/journal.ppat.116970.

A viral scaffolding protein triggers portal ring oligomerization and incorporation during procapsid assembly. Motwani, T. Lokareddy, R.K., Dunbar, C.A., Cortines, J.R., Jarrold, M.F., Cingolani, G., Teschke, C.M. (2017) Sci. Advances, 3, e1700423. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1700423. eCollection 2017 July.

Portal protein functions akin to a DNA-sensor that couples genome-packaging to icosahedral capsid maturation. Lokareddy, R., Sankhala, R., Roy, A., Afonine, P., Motwani, T., Teschke, C.M., Parent, K.N., and Cingolani, G. (2017) Nature Communications, 8:14310. doi: 10.1038/ncomms14310.

 

Dr. Carolyn Teschke
Contact Information
Emailcarolyn.teschke@uconn.edu
Phone860-486-4282
Mailing Address91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3125
Office LocationBiology/Physics Building
CampusStorrs
Linkhttp://carolyn-teschke-lab.squarespace.com/