Professor, PhD, DSc

Current Position:

Professor and University Scholar at UofL

Research Professor and the Departmental Head of Microbiology at the Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Krakow, Poland.

Phone: 502 852-1319

Fax: 502-852-5572

E-mail: jspote01@louisville.edu

Background

Dr. Potempa earned his Ph.D. and D.Sc. (habilitation) in Biochemistry in 1982 and 1993, respectively, from Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.  In 1985-1988 he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Georgia and from 1989 to 2008, he worked there as a Senior Research Scientist.  From January 2009, Dr. Potempa was recruited to the University of Louisville Dental School as a Professor and Academic Scholar.  Simultaneously, Dr. Potempa maintained his teaching and research position at the Jagiellonian University since 1983, where he was head of Department of Microbiology since 2001 and promoted to Research Professor in 2005.  His current scientific interest revolves around proteolytic events in the pathogenicity of infectious diseases.  Dr. Potempa’s research achievements are highly recognized internationally as indicated by more than 9,900 citations of his publications (h-index:54).  Of note, for a decade (1995-2005) he was the second most cited scientist in Poland.

Faculty Practice Location (Address):

University of Louisville
School of Dentistry
Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases
501 S. Preston St
Room 256B

Louisville, KY, 40202

Research Interests and Current Projects: (brief description):

Dr. Potempa’s investigations are focused on proteolytic enzymes of bacterial pathogens that play important roles in the deregulation of a number of physiological pathways and evasion of host immunity.  Specifically, studies in Dr. Potempa’s laboratories concentrate on proteolytic systems of bacteria, including predominantly staphylococci and periodontal pathogens.  He discovered new families of proteinase inhibitors and proteinases, referred to as staphostatins and gingipains, respectively.  Furthermore, he found out that Porphyromonas gingivalis-derived gingipains could not only activate coagulation, fibrinolysis, and kinin pathways and signal through protease activated receptors in an unrestricted manner, but also deregulate host proteinase inhibitors through specific cleavage within their reactive site loops, thereby allowing for the additional involvement of host proteinases in the disease process.  Dr. Potempa’s current research has expanded to enzymes from Prevotella intermedia and Tannerella forsythia.  In addition to the pathophysiological significance of establishing new traits in microbial pathogenesis, these studies have led to discovery of unique proteinases in these two species of bacteria.  Dr. Potempa’s other interests are focused on bacterial pathogens interaction with the innate immunity system, a mechanistic link between periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis, the characterization of new enzymes and elucidation of a novel protein secretion system (PerioGate) used by periodontopathogens to secrete their virulence factors.

Teaching Activities:

• Supervision of post-doctoral research trainees
• Mentoring master-degree students
• Biol 390:  Biology Honors Seminars
• MBIO 687 Microbial Pathogenesis

Service (current and last three years):

• Head of Microbiology Department, Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Krakow, Poland (since 2001)
• Committee for Dental School promotion  (Dr. David Scott)
• Temporary Member, NIH, Dental and Craniofacial Sciences Study Section, May 27-28, 2009
• PhD thesis supervisor (promoter) at the UofL and Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
• PhD thesis external examiner, worldwide
• Chair of the 2008 Gordon Conference on Proteolytic Enzymes and Their Inhibitors.
• International Scientific Advisory Panel,  General Meetings of the International Proteolysis Society (IPS), 2009, 2011, 2013
• Organizer and chair: 2014 The EU Consortium “Gums & Joints” meeting and the 41st Winter School of Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, UJ, Ustron, Poland:  Protein citrullination as a link between periodontal diseases and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and target for development of novel drugs to treat RA.
 
• ad hoc referee for Biochemica Biophysica Acta, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Infection and Immunity, European Journal of Biochemistry, Molecular Microbiology, Biochemical Journal, Journal of Bacteriology, Microbiology, Biochimie, Journal of Proteome Research, and Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

Memberships:

• International Proteolysis Society (IPS) (Member)
• Polish Biochemical Society (PTBioch) (Member)
• Graduate Faculty, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
• The Editorial Boards member: Biological Chemistry (since 2003), Current Protein and Peptide Science (since 2004), The Open Biochemistry Journal (since 2007), Journal of Innate Immunity (since 2008), Molecular and Oral Microbiology (previously Oral Microbiology and Immunology) (since 2010) Journal of Oral Microbiology (since 2013), and FEBS

OpenBio

(since 2013)

Honors and Awards (Top 3-5):

• Prime Minister of The Republic of Poland Award for Extraordinary Academic Achievements, Warsaw, Poland, 2001
• The Professor’s Subsidy, Foundation for Polish Science (FNP), Warsaw, 2004
• The Team Program Laureate, Foundation for Polish Science (FNP), Warsaw, 2010

• Foundation for Polish Science Prize for discovery and characterization of gingipains as virulence factors and targets for drug development to treat periodontitis (the most prestigious award for scientific achievements in Poland) (FNP, Warsaw, 2011)

• Honorary doctorate (Doctorate Honoris Causa), University of Lund, Lund, Sweden (2012)

Support Staff:

• Barbara Potempa - Research Coordinator, M.Sc., April 2009 – present

• Miroslaw Ksiazek - Visiting Scholar, March 2014 - present

• Anna Lasica – Visiting Scholar, October 2014 – present

Publications (since 2006)

• Journal Article (Peer review experimental research):

Mydel, P., Takahashi, Y., Yumoto, H., Sztukowska, M., Kubica, M., Gibson, F.C. 3^rd, Kurtz, D.M., Jr., Travis, J., Collins, V.L., Nguyen, K.A., Genco, C.A. & Potempa, J. (2006) Role of the host oxidative immune response and the bacterial antioxidant, rubrerythrin, during anaerobic infection.  PLOS Pathogens2: 712- 625.

Sheets, S.M., Potempa, J, Travis, J., Fletcher, H.M., & Casiano, C.A. (2006) Gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis W83 synergistically disrupt endothelial cell adhesion and can induce caspase-independent apoptosis.  Infect. Immun. 74: 5667-5678.

Dubin, G., Wladyka, B., Stec-Niemczyk, J., Chmiel, D., Zdzalik, M., Dubin A., & Potempa, J. (2007) The staphostatin family of cysteine protease inhibitors in Staphylococcus genus as an example of parallel evolution of protease and inhibitor specificity.  Biol. Chem.388: 227-235.

Guzik, K., Bzowska, M., Smagur, J., Krupa, O., Sieprawska, M., Travis, J., & Potempa, J. (2007) New trait in bacterial pathogenicity: Gingipains divert apoptotic cell recognition and clearance.  Cell Death Differ.14: 171-182.

Valnickova, Z., Thøgersen, I.B.,Potempa, J., & Enghild, J.J. (2007) Thrombin-activable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) zymogen is an active carboxypeptidase.  J. Biol. Chem. 282: 3066-3076.

Nguyn, K.A., Travis, J., & Potempa, J. (2007) Does the importance of the C-terminal residues in the maturation of RgpB from Porphyromonas gingivalis reveal a novel mechanism for protein export in a subgroup of Gram-negative bacteria?  J. Bacteriol. 189: 833-843.

Kulig, P., Dubin, G., Zabel, B.A., Potempa, J., Butcher, E.C., & Cichy, J. (2007) Role of staphopain A, Staphylococcus aureus-derived cysteine protease in activation of chemerin, a new chemoattractant specific for plasmacytoid dendritic cells and macrophages.  J. Immunol. 178: 3713-3720.

Vincents, B., Önnerfjord, P., Gruca, M., Potempa, J., & Abrahamson, M. (2007) Down-regulation of human extracellular cysteine protease inhibitors by the secreted staphylococcal cysteine proteases, staphopain A and B.  Biol. Chem. 388: 437-446.

Popadiak, K., Potempa, J., Riesbeck, K., & Blom, A.M. (2007) Biphasic effect of gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis on the human complement system.  J. Immunol.178: 7242-7250.

Valnickova, Z., Thogersen, I.B., Potempa, J., & Enghild, J.J. (2007) The intrinsic enzymatic activity of procarboxypeptidase U (TAFI) does not significantly influence the fibrinolytic rate: reply to a rebuttal.  J. Thromb. Haemost.5: 1336-1337.

Kirdis, E., Jonsson, I.M., Kubica, M., Potempa, J., Josefsson, E., Masalha, M., Foster, S.J., & Tarkowski, A. (2007) Ribonucleotide reductase class III, an essential enzyme for the anaerobic growth of Staphylococcus aureus, is a virulence determinant in septic arthritis.  Microb. Pathol. 43: 179-188.

Smalley, J.W., Birss, A.J., Szmigielski, B., & Potempa, J. (2007) Sequential action of R- and K-specific gingipains of Porphyromonas gingivalis in the generation of the heam-containing pigment from oxyhaemoglobin.  Arch. Biochem. Biophys.465: 44-49.

Hannes, B., Vieillard, J., Bou-Chakra, E., Mazurczyk, R., Potempa, J., Krawczyk, S., & Cabrera, M. (2008) Etching of glass patterned by microcontact printing with application to microfluidics and electrophoresis.  Sens. Actuator B-Chem. Sens. Actuator B-Chem. 129: 255-262.

Josefsson, E., Kubica, M., Mydel, P., Potempa, J., & Tarkowski, A. (2008) In vivo Sortase A and Clumping factor A mRNA expression during Staphylococcus aureus infection. Microb. Pathol. 44: 103-110.

Olczak, T., Sroka, A., Potempa, J. & Olczak, M. (2008) Porphyromonas gingivalis HmuY and HmuR – further characterization of a novel mechanism of heme utilization. Arch. Microbiol. 189: 197-210.

Beaufort, N., Wojciechowski, P., Sommerhoff, C.P., Szmyd, G., Dubin, G., Eick, S., Kellermann, J., Schmitt, M., Potempa, J., & Magdolen, V. (2008): The human fibrinolytic system is a target for the staphylococcal metalloprotease aureolysin.  Biochem. J.410: 157-165.

Mallorquí-Fernández, N., Manandhar, S.P., Mallorquí-Fernández, G., Usón, I., Wawrzonek, K., Kantyka, T., Solà, M., Thøgersen, I.B., Enghild, J.J., Potempa, J., & Gomis-Rüth, F.X. (2008) A novel autocatalytic activation mechanism for cysteine proteases revealed by Prevotella intermedia interpain A.  J. Biol. Chem. 283: 2871-2882.

Calander, A.-M., Dubin G., Potempa, J., Tarkowski, A. (2008) Staphylococcus aureus infection triggers production of neutralizing, V8-protease-specific antibodies.  FEMS Immunol. Med. Microbiol. 52: 267-272

Kubica, M., Guzik, K., Koziel, J., Zarebski, M., Richter, W., Gajkowska, B., Golda, A., Maciag, A.,Brix, K., Shaw, L.N., Foster, T., and Potempa, J. (2008) A potential new pathway for Staphylococcus aureus dissemination: The silent survival of S. aureus phagocytosed by human monocyte-derived macrophages.  PLoS ONE3: e1409.

Puklo, M., Guentsch, A., Hiemstra, P., Eick, S., & Potempa, J. (2008) Analysis of neutrophil-derived antimicrobial peptides in gingival crevicular fluid suggests importance of cathalicidin LL-37 in innate immune response against periodontopathogenic bacteria.  Oral Microbiol. Immunol. 23: 328-335.

Uehara, A., Naito, M., Imamura, T., Potempa, J., Travis, J., Nakayama, K., & Takada, H. (2008) Dual regulation of IL-8 production in human oral epithelial cells upon stimulation with gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis.  J. Med. Microbiol. 57: 500-507.

Uehara, A., Imamura, T., Potempa, J., Travis, J., & Takada, H. (2008) Gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis synergistically induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines through protease-activated receptors with Toll-like receptor and NOD1/2 ligands in human monocytic cells.  Cell. Microbiol.10: 1181-1189.

Dubin, G., Stec-Niemczyk, J., Kisielewska, M., Pustelny, K., Popowicz, G., Bista, M., Kantyka, T., Boulware, K.T., Stennicke, H.R., Czarny, A., Phopaisarn, M., Daugherty, P.S., Thogersen, I.B., Enghild, J.J., Thornberry, N., Dubin, A., & Potempa, J. (2008) Enzymatic activity of the Staphylococcus aureus SplB serine protease is induced by substrates containing the sequence Trp-Glu-Leu-Gln.  J. Mol. Biol. 379: 343-356.

Smalley, J.W., Birrs, A.J.. Smigielski, B., & Potempa, J. (2008) Mechanism of oxyheamoglobin breakdown by the Lysine-specific gingipain of the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis.  Biol. Chem. 389: 1235-1238.

Potempa, M., Potempa,^, J., Okroj, M., Popadiak, K., Eick,S., Nguyen, K.A., Riesbeck, K., & Blom, A.M. (2008) Binding of complement inhibitor C4b-binding protein contributes to serum resistance of Porphyromonas gingivalis.  J. Immunol. 181: 5537-5544.

Shaw, L.N., Lindholm, C., Prajsner, T., Miller, K.K., Brown, M.C., Golonka, E., Stewart, G.C., Tarkowski, A., & Potempa, J. (2008) Identification and characterization of Sigma S, a novel missing component of the stress and virulence responses of Staphylococcus aureus.  PLoS ONE3: e3844.

McAlister, A.D., Sroka, A., Fitzpatrick, R., Quinsey, N.S., Travis, J., Potempa, J., & Pike, R.N. (2008) Gingipain enzymes from Porphyromonas gingivalis preferentially bind immobilised extracellular proteins: a mechanism favouring colonisation?  J. Periodontal. Res. 44: 348-353.

Guentsch, A., Puklo, M., Preshaw, P.M., Glockmann, E., Pfister, W., Potempa, J., & Eick, S. (2009) Neutrophils in chronic and aggressive periodontitis in interaction with Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. J. Periodontal. Res. 44: 368-377.

Fitzpatrick, R.E., Campbell, P., Sivagurunathan, S., Pagel, C.N., Potempa, J., Mackie, E.J., & Pike, R.N. (2008) The gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis do not directly induce osteoclast differentiation.  J. Periodontal. Res.44: 565-567.

Smagur, J., Guzik, K., Magiera, L., Bzowska, M., Gruca, M., Thøgersen, I., Enghild, J.J., & Potempa, J. (2009) A new pathway of staphylococcal pathogenesis: Apoptosis-like death induced by Staphopain B (SspB) in human peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes.  J. Innate Immun. 1: 98-108

Fitzpatrick, R.E., Aprico, A., Lakshmi C. Wijeyewickrema, L.C., Pagel, C.N., Wong, D., Potempa, J., Eleanor J., E.J., & Pike, R.N. (2009) High molecular weight gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis induce cytokine responses from macrophage-like human cells via a non-proteolytic mechanism.  J. Innate Immun. 1: 109-117.

Nguyen, K.A., Żylicz, J., Szczesny, P., Sroka, A., Hunter, N., & Potempa, J. (2009) Deciphering a novel protein secretion system in Porphyromonas gingivalis: PorT as an outer membrane protein.  Microbiology155: 328-337.

Yasuhara, R., Miyamoto, Y., Takami, M., Imamura, T., Potempa, J., Yoshimura, K., & Kamijo, R. (2009) Lysine-specific gingipain promotes lipopolysaccharide- and active vitamin D3-induced osteoclast differentiation by degrading osteoprotegerin.  Biochem. J.419: 159-166

Stec-Niemczyk, J., Pustelny, K., Kisielewska, M., Bista, M., Boulware, K.T., Stennicke, H.R., Thogersen, I.B., Daugherty, P.S., Enghild, J.J., Dubin, A., Potempa, J. & Dubin, G. (2009) Structural and functional characterization of SplA, an exclusively specific protease of Staphylococcus aureus. Biochem. J. 419: 555-564.

Smagur, J., Guzik, K., Bzowska, M., Kuzak, M., Zarebski, M., Kantyka, T., Walski, M., Gajkowska, G. & Potempa, J. (2009) Staphylococcal cysteine protease staphopain B (SspB) induced rapid engulfment of human neutrophils and monocytes by macrophages.  Biol. Chem. 390: 361-371.

Potempa, M., Potempa, J., Kantyka, T., Nguyen, K.A.,Wawrzonek, K., Manandhar, S.P., Popadiak, K., Riesbeck, K., Eick, S. and Blom A.M. (2009) Interpain A, cysteine proteinase from Prevotella intermedia inhibits complement by degrading complement factor C3.  PLoS Pathogens5: e1000316

Chakra, E.B., Hannes, B., Vieillard, J., Mansfield, C.D., Mazurczyk, R., Bouchard, A., Potempa, J., Krawczyk, S., & Cabrera, M. (2009) Grafting of antibodies inside integrated microfluidic-microoptic devices by means of automated microcontact printing. Sens. Actuator B-Chem. Sens. Actuator B-Chem. 140: 278-286.

Koziel, J., Maciag-Gudowska, A., Mikolajczyk, T., Bzowska, M., Adeline R. Whitney, A.R., Shaw, L.N., DeLeo F.R., & Potempa, J. (2009) Phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus by macrophages exerts cytoprotective effects manifested by the upregulation of antiapoptotic factors.  PLoS ONE4: e5210.

Wojtowicz, H., Guevara, T., Tallant, C., Olczak, M., Sroka, A., Potempa, J., Solà, M., Olczak, T., & Gomis-Rüth, F.X. (2009) Unique structure and stability of HmuY, a novel heme-binding protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis. PLoS Pathogens 5: e1000419

Stathopoulou, P.G., Galicia, J.C., Benakanakere, M.R., Garcia, C.A., Potempa, J., & Kinane, D.F. (2009) Porphyromonas gingivalis induce apoptosis in human gingival epithelial cells through a gingipain-dependent mechanism. BMC Microbiol. 9: 107.

Monteiro, A.C., Scovino, A., Raposo, S., Gaze, V.M., Cruz, C., Svensjo, E., Narciso, M.S., Colombo, A.C., Pesquero, J.B., Feres-Filho, E., Nguyen, K.-A., Sroka, A., Potempa, J., & Scharfstein, J. (2009) Induction of fimbriae-specific IFN-g and IL-17-producing T cells in miceorally infected by Porphyromonas gingivalis depends on bradykinin B₂ receptor activation by kinin danger signals proteolytically generated by gingipain. J. Immunol. 183: 3700-3711.

Kantyka, T., Latendorf, T., Wiedow, O, Dubin, G., Bartels, J., Gläser, R., Schröder, J.-M., Potempa, J., & Meyer-Hoffert, U. (2009) RgpB from Porphyromonas gingivalis specifically inactivates the elastase inhibitor Elafin by distinct proteolytic cleavage.  Biol. Chem. 390: 1313-1320.

Byrne, D., Wawrzonek, K., Jaworska, A., Birss, A.J., Potempa, J., & Smalley, J.W. (2010) Role of the cysteine protease Interpain A of Prevotella intermedia in breakdown and release of haem from haemoglobin. Biochem. J.425: 257-264.

Karim, A.Y., Kulczycka, M., Kantyka, T., Dubin, G., Jabaiah, A., Daugherty, P.S., Thogersen I.B., Enghild, J.J., Ky-Anh Nguyen, K.-A., and Potempa, J. (2010) A Novel Matrix Metalloprotease-like Enzyme (Karilysin) of the Periodontal Pathogen Tannerella forsythia ATCC 43037.  Biol. Chem. 391: 105-117.

Koziel, J., Karim, A.Y., Przybyszewska, K., Ksiazek, M., Rapala-Kozik, M.,Nguyen, K.-A., & Potempa, J. (2010) Proteolytic inactivation of LL-37 by karilysin, a novel virulence mechanism of Tannerella forsythia. J. Innate Immun. 2: 288-293.

Wegner, N., Sroka, A., Eick, S., Wait, R., Nguyen, K.-A., Lundberg, K., Culshaw, S., Potempa, J., & Venable, P.J. (2010) Peptidylarginine deiminase from Porphyromonas gingivalis citrullinates human fibrinogen: Implications for autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis.  Arthrits Rheum.62: 2662-2672

Ishihara, K., Wawrzonek, K., Shaw, R.N., Inagaki, S., Okuda, K., Potempa, J. (2010) Dentipain, a Streptococcus-pyogenes-IdeS-protease homologue, is a novel virulence factor of Treponema denticola.  Biol. Chem.391: 1047-1055.

Zdzalik, M., Pustelny, K., Kedracka-Krok, S., Huben, K., Pecak, A., Wladyka, B.,Jankowski, S., Dubin, A., Potempa, J. & Dubin, A. (2010) Interaction of regulators Mdm2 and Mdm4 with transcription factors p53, p63, and p73.  Cell Cycle9: 4575-4582.

Cerdà-Costa, N., Karim, A.Y., Guevara, T., Ksiazek, M., Nguyen, K.A., Potempa, J. & Gomis-Rüth, F.X. (2011) The structure of Tannerella forsythia karilysin catalytic domain reveals it is a bacterial xenolog of animal matrix metalloproteinases. Mol. Microbiol.79: 119-132.

Rapala-Kozik, M., Cholewa, G., Chruscicka, B., Karkowska-Kuleta, J., Sroka, A., Harwald, H., Nguyen, K.A., Eick, S., Potempa, J., & Kozik, A.: Adsorption of components of the plasma kinin-forming system on the surface of Porphyromonas gingivalis involves gingipains as the major docking platforms. Infect. Immun.79: 797-805.

Smalley, J.W., Byrne, D.P., Birss, A.J., Wojtowicz H., Sroka A., Potempa, J.,& Olczak, T. (2011) HmuY haemophore and gingipain proteases constitute a unique syntrophic system of heam acquisition by Porphyromonas gingivalis.  PLoS ONE6: 217182.

Ohbayashi, T., Irie, A., Murakami, Y., Nowak, M., Potempa, J., Nishimura, Y., Shinohara, M. & Imamura, T. (2011) Degradation of fibrinogen and collagen by staphopains, cysteine proteinases released from Staphylococcus aureus.Microbiology 157: 786-792.

Guentsch, A., Kramesberger, M., Sroka, A., Glockmann, E., Pfister, W., Potempa, J., Jentsch, H., & Eick, S. (2011) Comparison of gingival crevicular sampling methods in patients with severe chronic periodontitis.  J. Periodontol. 82: 1051-1060.

Golda, A., Malek, N., Dudek, B., Zeglen, S., Wojarski, J., Ochman, M., Kucewicz, E., Zembala, M., Potempa, J., & Pyrc, K. (2011) Infection with human coronavirus NL63 enhances streptococcal adherence to epithelial cells.  J. Gen. Virol.  92: 1358-6892.

Kantyka, T., Plaza, K., Koziel, J., Florczyk, D., Stennicke, H.R., Thogersen, I.B., Enghild, J.J., Silverman, G.A., Pak, S.C., & Potempa, J. (2011) Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus cysteine proteases by human serpin potentially limits staphylococcal virulence.  Biol. Chem.392: 483-489.

Guzik, K., Skret, J., Smagur, J., Bzowska, M., Gajkowska, B., Scott, D. & Potempa, J. (2011) Ciggarett smoke-exposed neutrophils die unconventionally but are rapidly phagocytosed by macrophages. Cell Death Disease 2: e131

Skottrup, P.D., Leonard, L., Kaczmarek, J.Z., Veillard, F., Enghild, J., O’Kennedy, R., Sroka, A., Clausen, R.P., Potempa, J., & Riise, E. (2011) Diagnostic evaluation of a nanobody with picomolar affinity towards the cysteine protease RgpB from Porphyromonas gingivalis. Anal. Biochem.415: 158-167

Kolar, S.L., Nagarajan, V., Oszmiana, A., Rivera, F.E., Miller, H.K., Davenport, J.E., Ulanov, A., Li, Z., Riordan, J.T., Potempa, J., Barber, D.S., Koziel, J., Elasri, M.O., & Shaw, L.N. (2011) The two-component system RbtRS of Staphylococcus aureus regulates multiple transport mechanism and is important in biofilm formation. Microbiology157: 2206-2219.

Pyrc, K., Milewska, A., & Potempa, J. (2011) Development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for detection of human coronavirus-NL63. J. Virol. Methods. 175: 133-136.

Dobros, W., Burda, K., Guzik, K., Koziel, J., & Potempa, J. (2012) The inhibition of apoptotic cell phagocytosis in lateral neck cysts as a potential mechanism of inflammation.  Eur. Arch. Oto-Rhino-Laryn.269: 965-970.  

Kulig, P., Kantyka, T., Zabel, B.A., Banas, M., Chyra, A., Stefańska, A., Tu, H., Allen, S.J., Handel, T.M., Kozik, A., Potempa, J., Butcher, E.C., & Cichy, J. (2011) Regulation of Chemerin Chemoattractant and Anti-bacterial Activity by Human Cysteine Cathepsins. J. Immunol.187: 1403-1410.

Vincents, B., Guetsch, A. , Kostolowska, D., von Pawel-Rammingen^, U., Eick, S., Potempa, J., & Abrahamson, M. (2011) Cleavage of IgG1 and IgG3 by gingipain K from Porphyromonas gingivalis compromises host defense in progressive periodontitis.  FASEB J. 25: 3741-3750.

Pyrc, K., Strzyz, P., Milewska, A., Golda, A., Schildgen, O., & Potempa, J. (2011) Porphyromonas gingivalis enzymes enhance infection with human metapneumovirus.  J. Gen. Virol. 92: 2324-2332.

Kalińska, M., Kantyka, T., Greenbau, D.C., Larsen, K.S., Władyka, B., Jabaiah, A.,  Bogyo, M., Daugherty, P.S., Wysocka, M., Lesner, A., Rolka,. K., Schaschke, N., Stennicke, H., Dubin, A., Potempa, J. & Dubin, G. (2011) Substrate specificity of Staphylococcus aureus cysteine proteases - Staphopains A, B and C.  Biochimie 94: 318-327.

Laugisch, O., Schacht, M., Guentsch, A., Kantyka, T., Sroka, A., Stennicke, H., Pfister, W., Sculean, A., Potempa, J., & Eick, S. (2012) Periodontal pathogens affect the level of protease inhibitors in gingival crevicular fluid. Mol. Oral Microbiol. 27: 45-56.

Jusko, M., Potempa, J., Karim, A.Y., Ksiazek, M., Riesbeck, K., Garred, P.,Eick, S., & Blom, A.M. (2012) A metalloproteinase karilysin present in the majority of Tannerella forsythia isolates inhibits all pathways of the complement system.  J. Immunol. 188: 2338-2349.

Pyrc, K., Stozek, K., Wojcik, K., Zeglen, S., Karolak, W., Wojarski, J., Ochman, M., Hubalewska-Mazgaj, M., Bochenek, G., Sanak, M., Zembala, M., Szczeklik, A., & Potempa, J. (2012) Use of sensitive, broad-spectrum molecular assays and human airway epithelium cultures for detection of respiratory pathogens. PLoS One 7: e32582.

Malm, S., Jusko, M., Eick, S., Potempa, J., Riesbeck, K., and Blom, A.M. (2012) Acquisition of complement inhibitor serine protease Factor I and its cofactors C4b-binding protein and Factor H by the periodontal pathogen Prevotella intermedia.  PLoS ONE 7: e34852. 

Carroll, R.K., Robison, T.M., Rivera, F.E., Davenport, J.E., Jonsson, I.-M., Florczyk, D., Tarkowski, A., Potempa, J., Koziel, J., & Shaw, L.N. (2012) Identification of an intracellular M17 family leucine aminopeptidase that is required for virulence in Staphylococcus aureus.  Microb. Infect. 14: 989-999.

Sztukowska, M., Veillard, F., Potempa, B., Bogyo, M., Enghild, J.J., Thogersen, I.B., Nguyen, K.-A., and Potempa, J. (2012)Disruption of gingipain oligomerization into non-covalent cell-surface attached complexes. Biol. Chem. 393: 971-977. 

Skrzeczynska-Moncznik, J., Wlodarczyk, A., Zabieglo, K., Kapinska-Mrowiecka, M., Marewicz, E., Dubin, A., Potempa, J., & Cichy, J. (2012) Secretory leukocyte proteinase inhibitor (SLPI)-competent DNA deposits are potent stimulators of plasmacytoid dendritic cells.  Implication for psoriasis. J. Immunol. 189: 1611-1617. 

Zdzalik, M., Karim, A.Y., Wolski, K., Buda, P., Brueggemann, S., Wojciechowski, P., Wojcik, K., Eick, S., Calander, A.-M., Jonsson, I.-M., Kubica, M., Wladyka, B., Potempa, J., & Dubin, G. (2012) Prevalence of genes encoding extracellular proteases in genomes of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and the immune response to proteases in vivo.  FEBS Microbiol. Lett. 66: 220-229. 

Veillard, F., Potempa, B., Poreba, M., Drag, M., & Potempa, J. (2012) Gingipain aminopeptidase activities in Porphyromonas gingivalis. Biol. Chem. 393: 1471–1476.

Burchacka, E., Walczak, M., Sieńczyk, M., Dubin, G., Zdżalik, M., Potempa, J., & Oleksyszyn, J. (2012) The development of first Staphylococcus aureus SplB protease inhibitors: phosphonic analogues of glutamine.  Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 22: 5574-5578.

Adamowicz, K., Wang, H., Zeller, I., Potempa, J., Martin, M., & Scott D.A. (2012) Inhibition of GSK3 abolishes bacterial-induced periodontal bone loss in mice.  Mol. Med.18: 1190-1196.

Skottrup, P., Sørensen, G., Ksiazek, M., Potempa, J., and Riise, E. (2012) A phage display selected 7-mer peptide inhibitor of the Tannerella forsythia metalloprotease-like enzyme Karilysin can be truncated to Ser-Trp-Phe-Pro. 7: e48537

Hellvard, A., Maresz, K., Schilling, S., Graubner, S., Heiser, U., Cynis, H., Demuth, H.U., Jonsson, R., Potempa, J., and Mydel, P. (2013) Glutaminyl cyclases as novel targets for the treatment of septic arthritis J. Infect. Dis. 207: 768-777.

Blazusiak, E., Florczyk, D., Jura, J., Potempa, J., & Koziel, J. (2013) MCPIP is a potent regulator of innate immunity as revealed by differential regulation by TLR agonists. J. Innate Immun. 5: 15-23.

Pyrc, K., Milewska, A., Kantyka, T., Sroka, S., Maresz, K., Koziel, J., Enghild, J.J., Knudsen, A.D., and Potempa, J. (2013) Inactivation of epidermal growth factor by Porphyromonas gingivalis as a potential mechanism for periodontal tissue damage. Infect. Immun. 81: 55-64.

Milewska, A., Ciejka, J., Kaminski, K., Karewicz, A., Bielska, D., Zeglen, S., Karolak, W., Zasada, K., Nowakowska, M., Potempa, J., Pyrc, K., & Szczubialka, K. (2013): Novel polymeric inhibitors of HCoV-NL63. Antiviral Res.97: 112-121.

Pyrc, K., Stozek, K., Galan, W., & Potempa, J. (2013) HexaPrime: a novel method for detection of coronaviruses.  J. Virol. Methods. 188: 29-36.

Koziel, J., Kmiecik, K., Chmiest, D., Maresz, K., Mizgalska, D., Maciag-Gudowska, A., Mydel, P., and Potempa, J. (2013)  Mcl-1-dependent Staphylococcus aureus-induced cytoprotection of infected macrophages - a molecular link to septic arthritis. Med. Inflam. 2013: Article ID 427021.

Ruggiero, S., Cosgarea, R. , Potempa, J., Potempa, B., Eick, S., & Chiquet, M. (2013) Cleavage of extracellular matrix in periodontitis: gingipains differentially affect cell adhesion activities of fibronectin and tenascin-C. BBA Mol. Basis Dis. 1832: 517-526.

Carroll, R.K., Veillard, F., Gagne, D.T., Lindenmuth, J.M., Poreba, M., Drag, M., Potempa, J., & Shaw, L.N. (2013) The Staphylococcus aureus leucine aminopeptidase LAP has a broad substrate range that extends beyond leucine. Biol. Chem.394: 791-803.

Guentsch,A., Hirsch, C., Pfister, W., Vincents, B., Abrahamson, M., Sroka, A., Potempa, J. & Eick, S. (2013) Cleavage of IgG1 in GCF is associated with presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis. J. Periodontol. Res.48: 458–465.

Bondy-Carey, J.L., Galicia, J., Bagaitkar, J., Potempa, J., Potempa, B., Denis F. Kinane, D.F., Veillard, F. & Scott, D.A. (2013) Cytokine and matrix metalloproteinase profiling in a gingival crevice model. Mol. Oral Microbiol. 28: 102-113.

Kantyka, T., Pyrc, K., Gruca, M., Smagur, J., Plaza, K., Guzik, K., Zeglen, S., Ochman, M. & Potempa, J. (2013) Staphylococcus aureus proteases degrade lung surfactant protein A potentially depleting innate immunity of the lung. J. Innate Immun. 5: 251-260.

Fröhlich, E., Kantyka, T., Plaza, K., Schmidt, K.-H., Pfister, W., Potempa, J., & Eick, S. (2013) Benzamidine derivatives inhibit virulence of Porphyromonas gingivalis. Mol. Oral Microbiol. 28: 192-203.

Byrne, D.P., Potempa, J., Olczak, T., & Smalley, J.W. (2013) Evidence of mutualism between two periodontal pathogens: Co-operative haem acquisition by the HmuY haemophore of Porphyromonas gingivalis and the cysteine protease interpain A (InpA) of Prevotella intermedia.Mol. Oral Microbiol. 28: 219-229.

Guevara, T., Ksiazek, M., Skottrup, P., Cerda-Costa, N., Trillo-Muyo, S., de Diego, I., Riise, E., Potempa, J., and Gomis-Ruth, F.X. (2013) Structure of Tannerella forsythia matrix-metallopeptidase karilysin catalytic domain in complex with a tetrapeptidic inhibitor. Acta Cryst.F69: 472-476.

van der Pos, Subramani, D.B., Bäckström, M., Johansson, M.E.V., Vester-Christensen, M.B., Mandel, U., Bennet, E.P., Clausen, H., Dahlén, G., Sroka, A., Potempa, J., & Hansson G.C. (2013) Site-specific O-glycosylation on the MUC2 mucin inhibits cleavage by the Porphyromonas gingivalis secreted cysteine protease (RgpB). J. Biol. Chem. 288: 14636-14646.

Veillard, F., Sztukowska, M., Mizgalska, D., Ksiazek, M., Houston, J.A., Potempa, B., Enghild, J.J, Thogersen, I.B., Gomis-Rüth, F.X, Nguyen K.-A., Potempa, J. (2013) Inhibition of gingipains by their profragments as the mechanism protecting Porphyromonas gingivalis against premature activation of secreted proteases. BBA General Subjects1830: 4218-4228.

de Diego, I., Veillard, F.T., Guevara, T., Potempa, B., Sztukowska, M., Potempa, J., & Gomis-Rüth, F.X. (2013) Porphyromonas gingivalis virulence factor gingipain RgpB shows a unique zymogenic mechanism for cysteine peptidases. J. Biol. Chem.288: 14287-14296.

Zhou, X.Y., Gao, J.L., Hunter, N., Potempa. J., and Nguyen, K.A. (2013) Residue-independent processing site of the C-terminal domain (CTD) influences maturation of the RgpB protease from Porphyromonas gingivalis. Mol. Microbiol. 89: 903-917.

Maresz, K., Hellvard, A., Sroka, A., Adamowicz, K., Bielecka, E., Koziel, J., Gawron, K., Mizgalska, D., Pyrć, K., Benedyk, M., Marcinska, K., Quirke, A.-M., Jonsson R., Alzabin, S., Venables, P.J., Nguyen, K.-N., Mydel, P., and Potempa, J. (2013) Porphyromonas gingivalis facilitates the development and progression of destructive arthritis through its unique bacterial peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD).  PLoS Pathogens 9: e1003627.

Zdzalik, M., Kalinska, M., Wysocka, M., Stec-Niemczyk, J., Cichon, P., Stach, N., Gruba, N., Stennicke, H., Jabaiah, A., Markiewicz, M., Kendracka-Krok, S., Wladyka, B., Daugherty, P., Lesner, A., Rolka, K., Dubin, A., Potempa, J., Dubin, G. (2013) Biochemical and structural characterization of SplD protease from Staphylococcus aureus. PLoS ONE 8: e76812

Quirke, A.M., Lugli, E., Wegner, N., Hamilton, B., Charles, P., Chowdhury, M., Ytterberg, A.J., Zubarev, R., Potempa, J., Culshaw, S., Guo, Y., Fisher, B.A., Thiele, G., Mikuls, T., Venables, P.J. (2014) Heightened immune response to autocitrullinated Porphyromonas gingivalis peptidylarginine deiminase: a potential mechanism for breaching immunologic tolerance in rheumatoid arthritis.  Ann. Rheum. Dis. 73: 263-269.

Burchacka, E., Zdzalik, M., Niemczyk, J.S., Pustelny, K., Popowicz, G., Wladyka, B., Dubin, A., Potempa, J., Sienczyk, M., Dubin, G., & Oleksyszyn, J. (2014) Development and binding characteristics of phosphonate inhibitors of SplA protease from Staphylococcus aureus. Protein Sci.23: 179-189.

Jusko, M., Potempa, J., Kantyka, T., Bielecka, E., Kulczycka, M., Garred, P., Shaw, L.N., and Blom, A.M. (2014) Staphylococcal proteases aid evasion of human complement system. J. Innate Immun. 6: 31-46.

Wang, Q., Jotwani, R., Le, J., Krauss, J.L., Potempa, J., Coventry, S.C., Uriarte, S.M., & Lamont, R.J. (2014) Filifactor alocis infection and inflammatory responses in the mouse subcutaneous chamber model. Infect Immun. 82: 1205-1212 

Koziel, J., Bryzek, D., Sroka, A., Maresz, K., Glowczyk, I., Bielecka, E., Kantyka, T., Pyrc, K., Svoboda, P., Pohl, J., Potempa, J.: Citrullination alters immunomodulatory function of LL-37 essential for prevention of endotoxin-induced sepsis.  J. Immunol. 192: 5363-5372.

Moelants, E., Loozen, G., Mortier, A., Martens, E., Opdenakker, G., Mizgalska, D., Szmigielski, B., Potempa, J., Van Damme, J., Teughels, W., and Proost, P.:  Citrullination and proteolytic processing of chemokines by Porphyromonas gingivalis. Infect. Immun. 82: 2511-2519.

Pustelny, K., Zdzalik, M., Stach, N., Stec-Niemczyk, J., Cichon, P., Czarna, A., Popowicz, G., Mak, P., Drag, M., Salvesen, G.S., Wladyka, B., Potempa, J., Dubin, A., & Dubin, G. (2014) Staphylococcal SplB serine protease utilizes a novel molecular mechanism of activation. J. Biol. Chem. 289: 15544-15553.

Akiyama, T., Miyamoto, Y., Yoshimura, K., Yamada, A., Takami, M., Suzawa, T., Hoshino, M., Imamura, T., Akiyama, C., Yasuhara, R., Mishima, K., Maruyama, T., Kohda, C., Tanaka, K., Potempa, J., Yasuda, H., Baba, K., & Kamijo, R. (2014) Porphyromonas gingivalis-derived lysine gingipain enhances osteoclast differentiation induced by tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β, but suppresses that by interleukin-17A. Importance of proteolytic degradation of osteoprotegerin by lysine gingipain. J. Biol. Chem. 289:15621-15630.

Flork, D., Burmistrz, M., Potempa, J., & Pyrc, K.: Stability of infectious human coronavirus NL63. J. Virol. Methods. 205: 87-90.

Morandini, A.C., Ramos-Junior, E.S., Potempa, J., Nguyen, K.-A., Oliveira, A.C., Bellio, M., Ojcius, D.M., Scharfstein, J., Coutinho-Silva, R. (2014) Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbriae dampen P2X7-dependent IL-1β secretion. J. Innate Immun. 2014 Jun 6. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24925032

Tomek, M.B., Neumann, L., Nimeth, L., Koerdt, A., Philipp Andesner, P., Messner, P., Mach, L., Potempa, J. and Schäffer, C. (2014) The S-layer proteins of Tannerella forsythia are secreted via a type IX secretion system that is decoupled from protein O-glycosylation.  Mol. Oral Microbiol. 2014 Jun 18. doi: 10.1111/omi.12062. [Epub ahead of print], PMID: 24943676

Gawron, K., Lazarz-Bartyzel, K., Lazarz, M., Stęplewska, K., Pryc, K., Potempa, J., & Chomyszyn-Gajewska, M. (2014) In vitro Testing the Potential of a Novel Chimeric IgG Variant for Inhibiting Collagen fibrils Formation in Recurrent Hereditary Gingival Fibromatosis.  J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 64: xx-xx

Wilensky, A., Tzach-Nahman, R., Potempa, J., Shapira, L. and Nussbaum, G.: Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipains selectively cleave CD14 leading to macrophage hypo-responsiveness to bacterial infection. J. Innate Immun. (in press)

Koro C, Bielecka E, Dahl-Knudsen A, Enghild JJ, Scavenius C, Brun JG, Binder V, Hellvard A, Bergum B, Jonsson R, Potempa J, Blom AM, Mydel P: Carbamylation of immunoglobulin abrogates activation of the classical complement pathway. Eur J Immunol. 2014 Aug 13. doi: 10.1002/eji.201444869. [Epub ahead of print], PMID: 25130613