Dr Joel B Dacks

General information

Joel is Canadian. He has been part of our research group since 2003 and works as a post doc research associate.

Contact information

• Phone number: +44
• e-mail adress: jdacks (at) ucalgary.ca

Work description

My main research interest is in the prokaryote to eukaryote transition. Intracellular transport and secretion of material via the organelles of the endomembrane system is critical to eukaryotic cells: the evolution of these organelles would have been a key evolutionary step in the march from a prokaryotic to eukaryotic state. As we learn more about how this cellular system works in model organisms such as yeast and mammals we can use comparative genomics, phylogenetics and cell biology to extract generalities of endomembrane system biology in both a functional and evolutionary context.

My PhD work focused on reconstructing the membrane-trafficing system of the Last Common Eukaryotic Ancestor. This involved broad comparative surveys of key membrane trafficking proteins and more specific analyses of selected protein families such as syntaxins. I also addressed the putative absence of Golgi bodies in some divergent eukaryotic taxa by both establishing organismal affiliations of some (oxymonads) and in identifying genes encoding Golgi associated proteins in others (Pelobionts, Diplomonads, Entamoebids, heteroloboseans).

My post-doctoral project continues to address the same overarching questions. Investigations continue on the evolutionary history of specific pieces of membrane trafficking machinary including the retromer, coatomer, and adaptin complexes. However, I am also taking a more systems approach on the membrane-trafficking machinary of selected organisms. This is being done via my involvement with the Trichomonas vaginalis genome project and through an EST survey of the oxymonad Monocercomonoides. Information from the organismal projects is then being used to investigate comparative localization and function of key components by antibody creation and microscopy. Together, these three experimental facets are giving us an insight into the comparative evolution and function of membrane trafficking in diverse eukaryotes.

Joel's publications

• Dacks, J. B., J. Carlton and et al. Massive differential expansion of the Trichomonas vaginalis adaptin genomic complement. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. vol 52 p. 11S (2005). pubmed
• Dacks J.B. and Field M.C. Eukaryotic cell evolution from a genomic perspective: the endomembrane system. Organelles, Genomes and Eukaryote Phylogeny: An Ev. vol p. 309-334 (2004). pubmed
• Dacks J.B., Davis L.A. and al. An early origin of the Golgi apparatus. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. vol 51 p. S3A (2004). pubmed
• Dacks JB and Doolittle WF Molecular and phylogenetic characterization of syntaxin genes from parasitic protozoa. Mol Biochem Parasitol. vol 136 p. 123-36 (2004). pubmed
• Inagaki Y, Simpson A, Dacks J and Roger A Phylogenetic artifacts can be caused by leucine, serine, and arginine codon usage heterogeneity: dinoflagellate plastid origins as a case study. Syst Biol. vol 53 p. 582-93 (2004). pubmed
• Dacks JB, Davis LA, Sjogren AM, Andersson JO, Roger AJ and Doolittle WF Evidence for Golgi bodies in proposed 'Golgi-lacking' lineages. Proc Biol Sci. vol 270 p. S168-71 (2003). pubmed
• Klassen T.L., Buckingham S.D., Dacks J.B. and al. Potassium channels from an early bilaterian (PH. Platyhelminthes) with novel properties.. Society for Neuroscience 2003 Conference.. vol p. (2003). pubmed
• Dacks J.B. Malaria, Algae, Amoebae and You: Recent advances in eukaryotic relationships.. Actionbioscience.org. vol p. (2002). pubmed
• Dacks JB and Doolittle WF Novel syntaxin gene sequences from Giardia, Trypanosoma and algae: implications for the ancient evolution of the eukaryotic endomembrane system. J Cell Sci. vol 115 p. 1635-42 (2002). pubmed
• Dacks JB and Simpson AG Meeting report: XIVth meeting of the International Society for Evolutionary Protistology, Vancouver, Canada, June 19-24, 2002. Protist. vol 153 p. 337-42 (2002). pubmed
• Dacks JB, Marinets A, Ford Doolittle W, Cavalier-Smith T and Logsdon JM Jr Analyses of RNA Polymerase II genes from free-living protists: phylogeny, long branch attraction, and the eukaryotic big bang. Mol Biol Evol. vol 19 p. 830-40 (2002). pubmed
• Dacks JB and Doolittle WF Reconstructing/deconstructing the earliest eukaryotes: how comparative genomics can help. Cell. vol 107 p. 419-25 (2001). pubmed
• Dacks JB, Silberman JD, Simpson AG, Moriya S, Kudo T, Ohkuma M and Redfield RJ Oxymonads are closely related to the excavate taxon Trimastix. Mol Biol Evol. vol 18 p. 1034-44 (2001). pubmed
• Kasinsky HE, Lewis JD, Dacks JB and Ausio J Origin of H1 linker histones. FASEB J. vol 15 p. 34-42 (2001). pubmed
• Inagaki Y, Dacks JB, Doolittle WF, Watanabe KI and Ohama T Evolutionary relationship between dinoflagellates bearing obligate diatom endosymbionts: insight into tertiary endosymbiosis. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. vol 50 p. 2075-81 (2000). pubmed
• Dacks J and Roger AJ The first sexual lineage and the relevance of facultative sex. J Mol Evol. vol 48 p. 779-83 (1999). pubmed
• Dacks J.B. and Kasinsky H.E. Nuclear condensation in protozoan gametes and the evolution of anisogamy.. Comparative Biochemistry And Physiology -- Part A:. vol 124 p. 287-Â295 (1999). pubmed
• Dacks J.B. and Redfield R.J. Phylogenetic placement of Trichonympha.. J Eukaryot Microbiol. vol 45 p. 445-7 (1998). pubmed
• Dacks JB and Redfield RJ Phylogenetic placement of Trichonympha. . vol p. (). pubmed
• Moriya S, Dacks JB, Takagi A, Noda S, Ohkuma M, Doolittle WF and Kudo T Molecular phylogeny of three oxymonad genera: Pyrsonympha, Dinenympha and Oxymonas. . vol p. (). pubmed
• Simpson AG, Radek R, Dacks JB and O'Kelly CJ How oxymonads lost their groove: an ultrastructural comparison of Monocercomonoides and excavate taxa. . vol p. (). pubmed