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Dr. Nika Lovšin
Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology fax: +386 1
2419 487 and +386 1 4773594 email: nika.lovsin Research interest The majority of our genome is composed of transposable
elements, small fragments of DNA capable of replicating themselves and
jumping from one site in the genome to another. For a long time they were
miscalled genetic parasites since they exploit cellular machineries for they own
survival without any apparent benefit for the cell. Now they are recognized
as one of the major driving force behind the evolution of eukaryotic genomes
and play important roles in the evolution of genes, non-coding DNA and
complexity of the regulatory networks. We are interested in the evolution of
vertebrate non-LTR retrotransposons, such as CR1 and LINE-1. When retrotransposons integrate into the
gene regions this can be detrimental for their hosts, especially when it
happens in the germ or embryonic cells. Therefore a precise control of their
replication is crucial. Besides, transcriptional and posttranscriptional
regulation of their movement, a novel mechanism of controlling their
replication during reverse transcription was discovered including a family of
cytidine deaminases, APOBEC3 proteins. APOBEC3 proteins have broad antiviral activity and can
block replication of exogenous retroviruses (such as HIV-1) and
retrotransposons. Part of our research is focused on the interactions between
retrotransposons and APOBEC3 proteins and the
mechanism of their inhibition. Diploma students Young enthusiastic diploma students are always encouraged to apply by sending me an email to nika.lovsin@fkkt.uni-lj.si. Education 2001 -
2003 Ph.D. in Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology, 1998 -
2001 M.Sc.
in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1998
B.Sc.
in Chemistry, Work experience 1998
Department
of Chemistry, 1998 – present Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, 2004 –
2007 Postdoctoral scholar at the
University of California, San Francisco (prof.
Peterlin lab) Teaching experience 1998
- present Teaching assistant in
Biochemistry at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and
Chemical Technology, 2003
- present Teaching assistant in
Molecular Evolution at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry
and Chemical Technology, Publications 1. LOVŠIN, Nika, GUBENŠEK, Franc, KORDIŠ, Dušan. Evolutionary
dynamics in a novel L2 clade of non-LTR reprotransposons in Deuterostomia. Molecular
biology and evolution, 2001, vol. 18, str.
2213-2224. 2. KORDIŠ, Dušan, LOVŠIN, Nika, GUBENŠEK, Franc. Phylogenomic analysis of the L1 retrotransposons in deuterostomia. Syst.Biol., 2006, vol. 55, no. 6, str.
886-901. 3. AGUIAR, Renato S., LOVŠIN, Nika, TANURI, Amilcar, PETERLIN, Boris Matija. VPR.A3A
chimera inhibits HIV replication. J Biol Chem, 2008, issue 5,
vol. 283, str. 2518-25. 4. OKEOMA,
Chioma M., LOVŠIN, Nika, PETERLIN, Matija B., MARKI, Susan Ross. APOBEC3
inhibits mouse mammary tumour virus replication in
vivo. Nature (Lond.),
2007, vol. 445, no. 7130, str. 927-930. 5. ZHENG, Yong-Hui, LOVŠIN, Nika, PETERLIN, Matija B. Newly identified host
factors modulate HIV replication. Immunol. lett.. [Print ed.], 2005,
97, str. 225-234, ilustr.
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Dr. Nika LovšinDepartment of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology email: nika.lovsin |
