Marcos Sotomayor

Department of Neurobiology
Harvard Medical School
220 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Email: leunamsocram [at] gmail [dot] com

Phone: 617-432-2518

     

Education & Training

Research Interests

Ankyrin MscS
Elasticity of Repeat Proteins
Ankyrin		 Mechanosensitive Channels
MscS
Cadherin MscS
Elasticity and Dynamics of
Cadherin		 Elasticity and Dynamics of
Fibrinogen

Publications

  • (15) E. H. Lee, J. Hsin, G. Comellas, M. Sotomayor, and K. Schulten. "Discovery through the computational microscope" Structure, in press, 2009. (pdf)

  • (14) F. Khalili-Araghi, J. Gumbart, P. Wen, M. Sotomayor, E. Tajkhorshid, and K. Schulten. "Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Membrane Channels and Transporters" Current Opinion in Structural Biology, 19:128-137, 2009. (pdf)

  • (13) V. Vasquez, M. Sotomayor, J. Cordero-Morales, K. Schulten, and E. Perozo. "A Structural Mechanism for MscS gating in lipid bilayers" Science, 321:1210-1214, 2008. (pdf)

  • (12) M. Sotomayor and K. Schulten. "The Allosteric Role of the Ca++ Switch in Adhesion and Elasticity of C-Cadherin" Biophysical Journal, 94:4621-4633, 2008. (pdf)

  • (11) B. Lim, E. H. Lee, M. Sotomayor, and Klaus Schulten. "Molecular basis of fibrin clot elasticity" Structure, 16:449-459, 2008. (pdf)

  • (10) V. Vasquez, M. Sotomayor, D. Marien Cortes, Benoit Roux, Klaus Schulten, and Eduardo Perozo. "Three dimensional architecture of membrane-embedded MscS in the closed conformation" Journal of Molecular Biology, 378:55-70, 2008. (pdf)

  • (9) M. Sotomayor and K. Schulten. "Single-Molecule Experiments in Vitro and in Silico" Science, 316:1144-1148, 2007. (pdf)

  • (8) M. Sotomayor, V. Vasquez, E. Perozo, and K. Schulten. "Ion Conduction through MscS as Determined by Electrophysiology and Simulation" Biophysical Journal, 92:886-902, 2007. (pdf)

  • (7) M. Gao, M. Sotomayor, E. Villa, E. Lee, and K. Schulten. "Molecular Mechanisms of Cellular Mechanics" Physical Chemistry - Chemical Physics, 8:3692-3706, 2006. (pdf)


  • (6) M. Sotomayor, T. A. van der Straaten, U. Ravaioli, and K. Schulten. "Electrostatic Properties of the Mechanosensitive Channel of Small Conductance MscS" Biophysical Journal, 90:3496-3510, 2006. (pdf)

  • (5) M. Sotomayor, D. P. Corey, and K. Schulten. "In Search of the Hair-Cell Gating Spring: Elastic Properties of Ankyrin and Cadherin Repeats" Structure, 13:669-682, 2005. (pdf)

  • (4) E. Tajkhorshid, J. Cohen, A. Aksimentiev, M. Sotomayor, and K. Schulten. "Towards understanding membrane channels" in Bacterial ion channels and their eukaryotic homologues, Boris Martinac and Andrzej Kubalski, editors, pp 153-190. ASM Press, Washington, DC, 2005. (pdf)

  • (3) M. Sotomayor and K. Schulten. "Molecular Dynamics Study of Gating in the Mechanosensitive Channel of Small Conductance MscS" Biophysical Journal, 87:3050-3065, 2004. (pdf)

  • (2) D.P. Corey and M. Sotomayor. "Tightrope act" Nature, 428:901-902, 2004.

  • (1) C.J. Clarke, A. Gendrin, M. Sotomayor. "The dispersal of circumstellar discs: the role of the ultraviolet switch" Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 328:485-491, 2001. (pdf)

Presentations

Talks
  • "Conformational transitions underlying tension-dependent gating in prokaryotic mechanosensitive channels"
    Gordon Research Conference on Cellular Osmoregulation and Mechanotransduction, 2009.

  • "Cadherin Dynamics and Molecular Mechanisms of Hereditary Deafness"
    32nd Midwinter Research Meeting, Association for Research in Otolaryngology, 2009.

  • "Cadherin Dynamics and Molecular Mechanisms of Hereditary Deafness"
    Force-Gated Ion Channels: From Structure to Sensation, 2008.

  • "The Allosteric Role of the Ca++ Switch in Adhesion and Elasticity of C-Cadherin"
    20th CMB-MB Annual Research Symposium, 2007.

  • "Ion Conduction through the Mechanosensitive Channel of Small Conductance MscS"
    CECAM meeting Ionic Transport: from Nanopores to Biological Channels, 2007.

  • "Life under Tension: Molecular Mechanisms of Mechanosensitive Channels and Mechanical Sensors"
    MCTP/ICAM Workshop Mechanics of Life: From Biomolecules to Molecular Machines, 2007.

  • "Tertiary and Secondary Structure Elasticity of Repeat Proteins"
    87th International Bunsen Discussion Meeting on Mechanically Induced Chemistry -Theory and Experiment- 2005.

  • "Mechanisms of Mechanosensitive Channels and Mechanical Sensors Studied by Molecular Dynamics Simulations"
    Gordon Research Conference on Mechanotransduction and Gravity Signaling in Biological Systems, 2005.
Posters
  • "Structure, Dynamics, and Elasticity of Cadherin-23 Repeats Involved in Hereditary Deafness"
    7th Molecular Biology of Hearing and Deafness Meeting, 2009.

  • "Mechanical Strength of Cadherin Binding Interfaces Suggested by Crystallography"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2009.

  • "Ca++ Dependent Dynamics and Forced Unbinding of Classical Cadherins"
    Gordon Research Conference on Signaling by Adhesion Receptors, 2008.

  • "The Allosteric Role of the Ca++ Switch in Adhesion and Elasticity of C-Cadherin"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2008. (html)

  • "Three Dimensional Architecture of MscS N-terminus and TM Segments in the Closed State"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2007. (V. Vasquez, M. Sotomayor, D. M. Cortes, B. Roux, K. Schulten, E. Perozo.)

  • "Tertiary and Secondary Structure Elasticity of Repeat Proteins"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2007. (html)

  • "Ion Conduction through MscS as Determined by Electrophysiology and Simulation"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2007. (html)

  • "Tertiary and Secondary Structure Elasticity of Ankyrin Repeats"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2006. (html)

  • "Tertiary and Secondary Structure Elasticity of Repeat Proteins"
    IUPAB/EBSA International Biophysics Congress, 2005.

  • "Is TRPA1 the Transduction Channel? Mechanics of the Ankyrin Repeat Domain"
    28th Midwinter Research Meeting, Association for Research in Otolaryngology, 2005.

  • "Molecular Dynamics Study of Mechanosensation Proteins Ankyrin and Cadherin"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2005. (html)

  • "Multiscale Modeling of Gating and Ion Conduction in the Mechanosensitive Channel of Small Conductance MscS"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2005. (html)

  • "Molecular Dynamics Study of Gating in the Mechanosensitive Channel of Small Conductance MscS"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2004. (html)

  • "Mechanical Properties of Ubiquitin Chains"
    Biophysical Society Meeting, 2004. (html)

  • "Numerical Studies of Melting in Infinite Crystalline Solids"
    American Physical Society 2003 Annual March Meeting. (pdf)

  • "The dispersal of circumstellar discs: the role of the ultraviolet switch"
    2002 International Astronomical Observatories in Chile Workshop. (pdf)

Teaching

Memberships and Awards

  • Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Fellowship 2009 (accepted)
  • Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Fellowship 2009 (declined)
  • Best Talk Prize, 2007 UIUC Molecular Biophysics Symposium
  • MCC/UIUC travel award 2007
  • BPS/IUPAB travel fellowship award 2005
  • The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
footer