Professor Galina Mukamolova

I obtained my PhD in Biochemistry at the A. N. Bakh Institute of Biochemistry Russian Academy of Sciences and in 1998 moved to Aberystwyth to work on Resuscitation-promoting factors. In 2005 I joined the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler where I gained expertise in handling Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In 2007 I moved to the University of Leicester to work on mechanisms of bacterial dormancy and resuscitation from dormancy first as a Wellcome Trust Value-in-People Fellow and later as a lecturer. I have developed my academic career and research programme in Leicester.

My research is focused on investigation of bacterial dormancy and resuscitation. In particular I am interested in Mycobacterium tuberculosis the causative agent of tuberculosis and Burkholderia pseudomallei the causative agent of melioidosis. My research career started with the discovery of Resuscitation-promoting factor (Rpf) which has had a lasting impact on tuberculosis research. I explore the clinical importance of Rpf and Rpf-depdendent M. tuberculosis and have developed models for validation of drugs against persister mycobacteria. I also investigate molecular protein kinase signalling mechanisms and peptidoglycan recycling. My research has been funded by BBSRC MRC Royal Society European Commission and industry.

Bancroft P, Turapov O, Jagatia H, Arnvig K, Mukamolova GV, Green J. 2020. Coupling of Peptidoglycan Synthesis to Central Metabolism in Mycobacteria: Post-transcriptional Control of CwlM by Aconitase. Cell Rep. 32:108209. 

Moynihan PJ, Cadby IT, Veerapen N, Jankute M, Crosatti M, Mukamolova GV, Lovering AL, Besra GS. 2019. The hydrolase LpqI primes mycobacterial peptidoglycan recycling. Nat Commun 10(1):2647. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10586-2.

Alqaseer K, Turapov O, Barthe P, Jagatia H, De Visch A, Roumestand C, Wegrzyn M, Bartek IL, Voskuil MI, O'Hare HM, Ajuh P, Bottrill AR, Witney AA, Cohen-Gonsaud M, Waddell SJ, Mukamolova GV*. 2019. Protein kinase B controls Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth via phosphorylation of the transcriptional regulator Lsr2 at threonine 112. Mol Microbiol. 112:1847-1862.

Jenkins CH, Wallis R, Allcock N, Barnes KB, Richards MI, Auty JM, Galyov EE, Harding SV, Mukamolova GV. 2019. The lytic transglycosylase, LtgG, controls cell morphology and virulence in Burkholderia pseudomallei. Sci Rep 9 (1): 11060. 

Iswahyudi, Mukamolova GV, Straatman-Iwanowska AA, Allcock N, Ajuh P, Turapov O, O'Hare HM. (2019) Mycobacterial phosphatase PstP regulates global serine threonine phosphorylation and cell division. Sci Rep 9(1):8337. 

Turapov O, Forti F, Kadhim B, Ghisotti D, Sassine J, Straatman-Iwanowska, Bottrill AR, Moynihan P, Wallis R, Barthe P, Cohen-Gonsaud M, Ajuh P, Vollmer W, Mukamolova GV. (2018). Two faces of CwlM, an essential PknB substrate, in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Cell Rep 25(1): 57-67. e 5. 

Rosser A, Pareek M, Turapov O, Wiselka MJ, Mukamolova GV. (2018) Differentially culturable tubercule bacilli are generated during non-pulmonary tuberculosis infection. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 197:818-821. 

Loraine J, Pu F, Turapov O, Mukamolova GV. (2016) Development of an in vitro assay for detection of drug induced Resuscitation-promoting factor dependent mycobacteria. Antimicrob Agents Chemotherpii: 60: 6227-33.

Turapov O, O'Connor B, Sarybaeva AA, Williams C, Patel H, Kadyrov AS, Sarybaev A, Woltmann G, Barer MR, Mukamolova GV. (2016). Phenotypically adapted Mycobacterium tuberculosis populations from sputum are tolerant to first line drugs. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 60(4): 2476-83.

Turapov O, Glenn S, Kana B, Makarov V, Andrew PW, Mukamolova GV. 2014. The in vivo environment accelerates generation of Resuscitation-promoting factor-dependent mycobacteria. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 190: 1455-7.

Mukamolova GV, Turapov O, Malkin J, Woltmann G, Barer MR. 2010. Resuscitation-promoting factors reveal an occult population of tubercle bacilli in sputum. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 181: 174-80.

Mukamolova GV, Murzin AG, Salina EG, Demina GR, Kell DB, Kaprelyants AS, Young M. 2006. Muralytic activity of Micrococcus luteus Rpf and its relationship to physiological activity in promoting bacterial growth and resuscitation. Mol Microbiol 59: 84-98.

Mukamolova GV, Turapov OA, Kazarian K, Telkov M, Kaprelyants AS, Kell DB, Young M. 2002. The rpf gene of Micrococcus luteus encodes an essential secreted growth factor. Mol Microbiol 46: 611-21.

Mukamolova GV, Turapov OA, Young DI, Kaprelyants AS, Kell DB, Young M. 2002 A family of autocrine growth factors in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mol Microbiol 46: 623-35.

Mukamolova GV, Kaprelyants AS, Young DI, Young M, Kell DB. 1998. A bacterial cytokine. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 95: 8916-21. 

Molecular mechanisms of bacterial dormancy and resuscitation.

Role of serine-threonine kinase in growth cell wall remodelling and dormancy

Antimicrobial tolerance and resistance

Peptidoglycan remodelling and muropeptide signalling

Development of novel approaches for improving soil health

I convene a second year Medical Microbiology module. I am also involved in a wide range of teaching activities from first year tutorials to final year project supervision. I also teach MSc students (Infection and Immunity).

Bacterial dormancy antimicrobial resistance and cell division