Strona domowa
Warsaw University Faculty of Physics
WERSJA POLSKA  Research    People    Education
Name:Professor Ryszard Stolarski
Address:Department of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Warsaw University, Zwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
Phone: +48 22 5540772
E-mail: stolarsk@biogeo.uw.edu.pl
Research interests: Dynamics and thermodynamics of biomolecules and their specific intermolecular interactions, including proteins, DNA and RNA oligomers, e.g. 5' mRNA cap, as well as nucleosides and nucleotides. Molecular structures and relationship between the physicochemical properties of biomolecules and their biological activity. Methods: molecular spectroscopy (1D and 2D NMR, fluorescence), X-ray diffraction, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
The main achievements
(a) construction of a dynamical model of intramolecular interactions between mRNA 5'-terminus (cap) and the eukaryotic initiation factors (eIF4E), which take part in the initiation of protein biosynthesis (translation).
(b) completion of methodology for detailed structure determination of short DNA helices, from NMR data to the final conformation, by means of restrained molecular dynamics with NMR constraints (rMD).
(c) detection of a shift in tautomeric equilibrium of the modified nucleoside, N6-methoxy-adenosine, upon formation of associates with complemetary nucleosides through hydrogen bonds as well as hydrogen exchange within the associates; both phenomena being of great importance for spontaneous and chemically induced mutagenesis;
(d) quantitative determination of the conformation about the glycosidic bond in purine nucleosides and nucleotides, and elucidation of discrepancies in the results derived previously;
(e) further insight into structural requirements of various enzymes of the main metabolic pathways toward nucleoside and nucleotide derivatives of potential antivirus and anticancer properties;
Professional experience:
1975 - 1982 Department of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Warsaw University, Warsaw, Poland; Research and Teaching Assistant.
1983 - 1994 Department of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Warsaw University, Warsaw, Poland; Research and Teaching Associate (Lecturer).
1983-1985 fellowship of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation at the Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, J.W.Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, directed by Prof. Heinz Ruterjans
1989-1990 post-doctoral fellowship in Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA., U.S.A., research adviser Prof. Thomas L. James
1993 research visit in University of Turku, Turku, Finland
1994 - Head of Department of Biophysics
1997 - Professor of Warsaw University
2006 - Professor
Selected publications:
  1. Worch, R., Niedzwiecka, A., Stepinski, J., Mazza, C., Jankowska-Anyszka, M., Darzynkiewicz, E., Cusack, S. and Stolarski, R.: Specificity of recognition of mRNA 5' cap by human nuclear cap-binding complex. RNA 11, 1355-1363, 2005
  2. Niedzwiecka, A., Darzynkiewicz, E., and Stolarski, R.: Thermodynamics and conformational changes related to binding of eIF4E protein to mRNA 5' cap. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 17, S1483-1495, 2005
  3. Niedzwiecka, A., Darzynkiewicz, E., and Stolarski, R.: Thermodynamics of mRNA 5' Cap Binding by Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor eIF4E. Biochemistry 43, 13305-13317, 2004.
  4. Grudzien, E., Stepinski, J., Jankowska-Anyszka, M., Stolarski, R., Darzynkiewicz, E., and Rhoads, R.E.: Novel Cap Analogs for in vitro Synthesis of mRNAs with High Translational Efficiency. RNA 10, 1479-1487, 2004
  5. Zuberek, J. Jemielity, J., Jablonowska, A., Stepinski, J., Dadlez, M., Stolarski, R., and Darzynkiewicz, E.: Influence of Electric Charge Variation at Residues 209 and 159 on the Interaction of eIF4E with the mRNA 5' Terminus. Biochemistry 43, 5370-5379, 2004
  6. Lewdorowicz, M., Yoffe, Y., Zuberek, J., Jemielity, J., Stepinski, J., Kierzek, R., Stolarski, R., Shapira, M., and Darzynkiewicz, E.: Chemical Synthesis and binding activity of the trypanosomatid cap-4 structure. RNA 10, 1469-1478, 2004
  7. Stolarski R.: Thermodynamics of Specific protein-RNA interactions. Acta Biochimica Polonica 50, 297-318, 2003
  8. Zuberek, J., Wyslouch-Cieszynska, A., Niedzwiecka, A., Dadlez, M., Stepinski, J., Augustyniak, W., Gingras, A.-C., Zhang, Z., Burley, S.K., Sonenberg, N., Stolarski, R., and Darzynkiewicz E. : Phosphorylation of eIF4E Attenuates Its Interaction with mRNA 5' Cap Analogs by Electrostatic Repulsion: Intein-mediated Protein Ligation Strategy to Obtain Phosphorylated Protein. RNA 9, 52-61, 2003
  9. Jemielity, J.,Fowler, T., Zuberek, Stepinski, J., Lewdorowicz, M., Niedzwiecka, A., Stolarski, R., Darzynkiewicz, E., and Rhoads, R.E. : Novel "Anti-Reverse" Cap Analogs with Superior Translational Properties. RNA 9, 1108-1122, 2003
  10. Ruszczynska, K., Kamienska-Trela, K., Wojcik, J. Stepinski, J., Darzynkiewicz, E., and Stolarski, R.: Charge Distribution in 7-Methylguanine Regarding Cation-pi Interaction with Protein Factor eIF4E. Biophysical Journal 85, 1450-1456, 2003
  11. Niedzwiecka, A., Stepinski, J., Darzynkiewicz, E., Sonenberg, N., and Stolarski, R.: Positive heat capacity change upon specific binding of translation initiation factor eIF4E to mRNA 5' cap. Biochemistry 41 (40):12140-12148, 2002.
  12. Niedzwiecka, A., Marcotrigiano, J., Stepinski, J., Jankowska-Anyszka, M., Wyslouch- Cieszynska, A., Dadlez, M., Gingras, A.-C., Mak, P., Darzynkiewicz, E., Sonenberg, N., Burley, S.K. & Stolarski, R.: Biophysical Studies of eIF4E cap-Binding Protein: Recognition of mRNA 5' cap Structure and Synthetic Fragments of eIF4G and 4E-BP1 Proteins, Journal of Molecular Biology 319, 615-635, 2002
  13. Stępiński, J., Waddell, C., Stolarski, R., Darżynkiewicz, E. & Rhoads, R.E.: Synthesis and Properties of mRNAs Containing the Novel "Anti-Reverse" cap Analogs 7-methyl(3'-O-methyl)GpppG and 7-methyl(3'-deoxy)GpppG, RNA 7, 1486-1495, 2001
  14. Cai, A., Jankowska-Anyszka, M., Centers, A., Chlebicka, L., Stępiński, J., Stolarski, R., Darżynkiewicz, E. & Rhoads, R.E.: Quantitative Assessment of mRNA cap Analogs as Inhibitors of in vitro Translation, Biochemistry 38, 8538-8547, 1999
  15. Jankowska-Anyszka, M., Lamphear, B.J., Aamodt, E.J., Harrington, T., Darżynkiewicz, E., Stolarski, R. & Rhoads, R.E.: Multiple Isoforms of Eukaryotic Protein Synthesis Initiation Factor 4E in Caenorhabditis elegans Can Distinguish between Mono- and Trimethylated mRNA cap Structures, Journal of Biological Chemistry 273, 10538-10542, 1998
  16. Wieczorek, Z., Zdanowski, K., Chlebicka, L., Stępi(ski, J., Jankowska, M., Kierdaszuk, B., Temeriusz, A., Darżynkiewicz, E. & Stolarski, R., Fluorescence and NMR studies of intramolecular stacking of mRNA cap-analogues, Biochim.Biophys. Acta 1354, 145-152, 1997
  17. Stolarski, R., Sitek, A., Stępi(ski, J., Jankowska, M., Oksman, P., Temeriusz, A., Darżynkiewicz, E., & Shugar, D., 1H-NMR studies on association of mRNA cap-analogues with tryptophan-containing peptides, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1293, 97-105, 1996
  18. Birnbaum, K.B., Stolarski, R. & Shugar, D., Structure and Conformation of the Cyclic Phosphate of Ganciclovir, a Broad Spectrum Antiviral Agent, Biochim. Bophys. Acta 1200, 55-63, 1994
  19. Stolarski, R., Egan, W. & James, T.L., Solution Structure of the EcoRI DNA Octamer Containing 5-Fluorouracil via Restrained Molecular Dynamics Using Distance and Torsion Angle Constraints Extracted from NMR Spectral Simulations, Biochemistry 31, 7027-7042, 1992
  20. Stolarski, R., Lassota, P., Kazimierczuk, Z. & Shugar, D., Solution Conformations of Some Acyclo Nucleoside and Nucleotide Analogues of Antiviral Acyclo nucleosides, and Their Substrate/Inhibitor Properties in Several Enzyme Systems, Z. Naturforsch. 43c, 231-242, 1988
  21. Stolarski, R., Kierdaszuk, B., Hagberg, C.E. & Shugar, D., Mechanism of Hydroxylamine Mutagenesis: Tautomeric Shift and Proton Exchange between the Promutagen N6-Methoxyadenosine and Cytidine, Biochemistry 26: 4332-4337, 1987
  22. Stolarski, R., Buck, F., Fera, B. & Ruterjans, H., One- and Two-Dimensional 1H-NMR Investigations of Two 19-Base-Pair Analogues of the tet Operator, Eur. J. Biochem. 169, 603-609, 1987
  23. Stolarski, R., Hagberg, C.E. & Shugar, D., Studies on the Dynamic Syn-Anti Equilibrium in Purine Nucleosides and Nucleotides with the Aid of 1H and 13C NMR Spectroscopy, Eur. J. Biochem. 138, 187, 192, 1984
  24. Stolarski, R., Pohorille, A., Dudycz, L. & Shugar, D., Comparison of Theoretical and Experimental Approaches to Determination of Conformation of Nucleosides about Glycosidic Bond, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 610, 1-19, 1980
Participation in research projects:
Translation initiation and intracellular transport: biophysics of protein and RNA interactions