- Ph.D., Biophysics, University of Chicago
- B.S., Bioscience, Southern Illinois University
- Fellowship, Rosenstiel Basic Medical Science Research Center, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Areas of expertise
The Trybus laboratory currently has two main research focuses: (1) Dynein and kinesin. We are interested in how dynein and kinesin interact with adaptor proteins, and how the two motors sense each other’s presence when bound to the same adaptor. A newer project examines how these molecular motors interact with the Huntingtin scaffold in its wild-type form versus the pathogenic glutamine-expanded version that causes Huntington’s disease. (2) Myosins. We have an ongoing project examining the biochemical and biophysical properties of the unique myosin motors and actin found in the Plasmodium parasite, the causative agent of malaria.
BIO
Dr. Trybus received her Ph. D. at the University of Chicago, where she performed kinetic studies of skeletal muscle myosin and regulated thin filaments. She then moved to Brandeis University for postdoctoral research on the regulation of smooth muscle myosin by light chain phosphorylation. She remained at the Rosenstiel Research Center as a Senior Scientist before joining the Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics at the University of Vermont in 1998 and has been a Full Professor since 2002.
Publications
Bio
Dr. Trybus received her Ph. D. at the University of Chicago, where she performed kinetic studies of skeletal muscle myosin and regulated thin filaments. She then moved to Brandeis University for postdoctoral research on the regulation of smooth muscle myosin by light chain phosphorylation. She remained at the Rosenstiel Research Center as a Senior Scientist before joining the Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics at the University of Vermont in 1998 and has been a Full Professor since 2002.
Publications
Select Publications
- Ali MY, Lu H, Fagnant PM, Macfarlane JE, Trybus KM. BicD and MAP7 Collaborate to Activate Homodimeric Drosophila Kinesin-1 by Complementary Mechanisms. Traffic. 2025;26(4-6):e70008. doi: 10.1111/tra.70008. PubMed PMID: 40384341; PMCID: PMC12086504.
- Moussaoui D, Robblee JP, Robert-Paganin J, Auguin D, Fisher F, Fagnant PM, Macfarlane JE, Schaletzky J, Wehri E, Mueller-Dieckmann C, Baum J, Trybus KM, Houdusse A. Mechanism of small molecule inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum myosin A informs antimalarial drug design. Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):3463. Epub 20230612. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38976-7. PubMed PMID: 37308472; PMCID: PMC10261046.
- Robert-Paganin J, Xu XP, Swift MF, Auguin D, Robblee JP, Lu H, Fagnant PM, Krementsova EB, Trybus KM, Houdusse A, Volkmann N, Hanein D. The actomyosin interface contains an evolutionary conserved core and an ancillary interface involved in specificity. Nat Commun. 2021;12(1):1892. Epub 20210325. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-22093-4. PubMed PMID: 33767187; PMCID: PMC7994445.
- Moussaoui D, Robblee JP, Auguin D, Krementsova EB, Haase S, Blake TCA, Baum J, Robert-Paganin J, Trybus KM, Houdusse A. Full-length Plasmodium falciparum myosin A and essential light chain PfELC structures provide new anti-malarial targets. Elife. 2020;9. Epub 20201013. doi: 10.7554/eLife.60581. PubMed PMID: 33046215; PMCID: PMC7553781.
- Cui H, Ali MY, Goyal P, Zhang K, Loh JY, Trybus KM, Solmaz SR. Coiled-coil registry shifts in the F684I mutant of Bicaudal D result in cargo-independent activation of dynein motility. Traffic. 2020;21(7):463-78. doi: 10.1111/tra.12734. PubMed PMID: 32378283; PMCID: PMC7437983.