Summary of major R&D results
I have published over 40 papers in peer reviewed journals with a sum of impact factor IF > 200, >1000 citations without self-citations by December 2023. My H – index according to WOS = 17 (SCOPUS H – index = 18, Google Scholar H – index = 22). I have also coauthored 2 national, 1 European and 1 US patent. The study on structure of plant chloroplasts Kaftan et al., EMBO J. 21: 6146-6153, 2002 has been included in Faculty of 1000 in 2003.
Papers in impacted journals
Jürgen Tomasch, Karel Kopejtka, Tomáš Bílý, Alastair T. Gardiner, Zdenko Gardian, Sahana Shivaramu, Michal Koblížek, David Kaftan (2024) A photoheterotrophic bacterium from Iceland has adapted its photosynthetic machinery to the long days of polar summer. mSystems 9 (3). https://doi.org/10.1128/msystems.01311-23
Pavel Čurda, David Kaftan, Tomáš Kozák, Sanjay Kumar, Petr Sezemský, Vitězslav Straňák (2023) High-defined and size-selective deposition of nanoparticles by their manipulation in an electrostatic field. Applied Surface Science 640, 158307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.158307
Karel Kopejtka, Jürgen Tomasch, David Kaftan, Alastair T. Gardiner, David Bína, Zdenko Gardian, Christopher Bellas, Astrid Dröge, Robet Geffers, Ruben Sommaruga, Michal Koblížek (2022) A bacterium from a mountain lake harvests light using both proton-pumping xanthorhodopsins and bacteriochlorophyll-based photosystems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119 (50): e2211018119 DOI 10.1073/pnas.2211018119.
Sanjay Kumar, Jiří Kratochvíl, Yasmina Al-Muhkhrabi, Eliška Kratochvílová, David Kahoun, David Kaftan, Jan Hanuš, Ján Štěrba, Vítězslav Straňák (2022) Surface anchored Ag nanoparticles: the role of surface free energy. Surfaces and Interfaces 30: 101818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfin.2022.101818.
Pu Qian, Alastair Gardiner, Šímová Ivana, Kateřina Naydenova, Tristan Croll, Jackson Philip, Nupur Nupur, Yonghui Zeng, Pablo Castro-Hartmann , Bart Knippenberg, Kenneth Goldie, David Kaftan, Roman Sobotka, Miroslav Kloz, Petra Cubaková, Pavel Hrouzek, Jan Hájek, David Bína, Jon Agirre, Alistair Siebert, Kasim Sader, Henning Stahlberg, Christopher Russo, Tomáš Polívka, Neil Hunter, Michal Koblížek (2022) 2.4-Å structure of the double-ring Gemmatimonas phototrophica photosystem. Science Advances 8(7). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk3139
Noelia Jaime-Pérez, David Bína, David Kaftan, Syed Nadeem Hussain Bokhari and Hendrik Küpper (2021) Naturally zinc-containing bacteriochlorofyll a ([Zn]-BChl a) protects the photosynthetic apparatus of Acidiphilium rubrum from copper toxicity damage. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Bioenergetics 1862 (10). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbabio.2021.148472
Vadim Prysiazhnyi, Jiří Kratochvíl, David Kaftan, Radim Čtvtlík, Vítězslav Straňák (2021) Growth of hard nanostructured ZrN surface induced by copper nanoparticles. Applied Surface Science 562, 150230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.150230.
Karel Kopejtka, Yonghui Zeng, David Kaftan, Vadim Selyanin, Zdenko Gardian, Jürgen Tomasch, Ruben Sommaruga, Michal Koblížek (2021) Characterization of the aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Sphingomonas sp. AAP5. Microorganisms 9, 768. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9040768
Michal Koblížek, Marko Dachev, David Bína, Nupur, Kasia Piwosz and David Kaftan (2020) Utilization of light energy in phototrophic Gemmatimonadetes. Journal of Photochemistry & Photobiology, B: Biology 213: 112085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2020.112085
Strunecky, O., Raabova, L., Bernardova, A., Ivanova, A.P., Semanova, A. and Kaftan, D. (2020) Diversity of cyanobacteria at the Alaska North Slope with description of two new genera: Gibliniella and Shackletoniella. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 96(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiz189
Kaftan, D., Bína, D., Koblížek, M. (2019) Temperature dependence of photosynthetic reaction centre activity in Rhodospirillum rubrum. Photosynthesis Research 142: 181-193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-019-00652-7
Volha Shmidt, David Kaftan, Avigdor Scherz, Avihai Danon (2019) Targeting mutations to the plastidial psbA gene of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii without direct positive selection. Scientific Reports 9: 7367, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42617-9
Noelia Jaime-Pérez, David Kaftan, David Bína, Syed Nadeem Hussain Bokharia, Hendrik Küpper (2019) Mechanisms of sublethal copper toxicity damage to the photosynthetic apparatus of Rhodospirillum rubrum. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Bioenergetics 1860 (8): 640-650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbabio.2019.06.004
Kaftan, D. (2019) Molecular docking of the TNF-derived TIP peptide to a ASIC1a-based model of the alpha subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). In: Cytokine-Ion Channel Interactions in Pulmonary Inflammation (Vadász et Lucas eds.). Lausanne: Frontiers Media. pp. 1,5. doi: 10.3389/978-2-88945-703-8
Osterrothová, K., Culka A., Němečková, K., Kaftan, D., Nedbalová, L., Procházková, L., Jehlička, J. (2019) Analyzing carotenoids of snow algae by Raman microspectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 212: 262-271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2019.01.013
Kaftan, D., Medová, H., Selyanin, V., Kopejtka, K. and Koblížek, M. (2019) Extended temperature optimum of photosynthetic reaction centers in Rhodobacterales. Photosynthetica 57(2): 361-366. DOI 10.32615/ps.2019.039
Strunecký, O., Kopejtka, K., Goecke, F., Tomasch, J., Lukavský, J., Neori, A., Kahl, S., Pieper, D.H., Pilarski, P., Kaftan D. and Koblížek, M. (2019) High diversity of thermophilic cyanobacteria in Rupite hot-spring identified by microscopy, cultivation, single-cell PCR and amplicon sequencing. Extremophiles 23: 35-48. DOI: 10.1007/s00792-018-1058-z
Piwosz, K., Kaftan, D., Dean, J., Šetlík., J. and Koblížek (2018) Nonlinear effect of irradiance on photoheterotrophic activity and growth of the aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Dinoroseobacter shibae. Environmental Microbiology. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.14003
Dachev, M., Bína, D., Sobotka, R., Moravcová, L., Gardian, Y., Kaftan, D., Šlouf, V., Fuciman, M., Polívka, T. and Koblížek, M. (2017) Unique double concentric ring organization of light harvesting complexes in Gemmatimonas phototrophica. PLoS Biology 15(12): e2003943. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2003943
Shlyk, O., Samish, I., Matěnová, M., Dulebo, A., Poláková, H., Kaftan, D. and Scherz, A. (2017) A single residue controls electron transfer gating in photosynthetic reaction centers. Scientific Reports 7: 44580, doi: 10.1038/srep44580
Zeng, Y., Selyanin, V., Lukeš, M., Dean, J., Kaftan, D., Feng, F. and Koblížek, M. (2015) Characterization of semi-aerobic bacteriochlorophyll a – containing bacterium Gemmatimonas phototrophica sp. nov. , and emended descriptions of the genus Gemmatimonas and Gemmatimonas aurantiaca. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 65: 2410-2419, doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.000272
Czikora, I., Alli, A., Bao, H-F., Kaftan, D., Sridhar, S., Apell, H-J., Gorshkov, B., White, R., Zimmermann, A., Wendel, A., Pauly-Evers, M., Hamacher, J., Garcia-Gabay, I., Fischer, B., Verin, A., Bagi, Z., Pittet, J.F., Shabbir, W., Lemmens-Gruber, R., Chakraborty, T., Lazrak, A., Matthay, M.A., Eaton, D.C. and Lucas R. (2014) A novel Tumor Necrosis Factor-mediated mechanism of direct epithelial sodium channel activation. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 190 (5): 522-532. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201405-0833OC
Lukeš, M., Procházková, L., Shmidt, V., Nedbalová, L. and Kaftan, D. (2014) Temperature dependence of photosynthesis and thylakoid lipid composition in the red snow alga Chlamydomonas cf. nivalis (Chlorophyceae). FEMS Microbiology Ecology 89 (2): 303-315. doi: 10.1111/1574-6941.12299
Šlouf, V., Fuciman, M., Dulebo, A., Kaftan, D., Koblížek, M., Frank, H.A. and Polívka, T.(2013) Carotenoid charge transfer states and their role in energy transfer processes in LH1-RC complexes from aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 117 (38): 10987–10999. doi: 10.1021/jp309278y
Kopecký, V., Kohoutová, J., Lapkouski, M., Hofbauerová, K., Sovová, Z., Ettrichová, O., González-Pérez, S., Dulebo, A., Kaftan, D., Kutá Smatanová, I., Revuelta, J.L., Arellano, J.B., Carey, J. and Ettrich, R.H. (2012) Raman spectroscopy adds complementary detail to the high-resolution x-ray crystal structure of photosynthetic PsbP from Spinacia oleracea. PLoS ONE 7 (10): e46694. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0046694
Dulebo, A., Ettrich, R.H., Lucas, R. and Kaftan, D. (2012) A computational study of the oligosaccharide binding sites in the lectin-like domain of tumor necrosis factor and the TNF-derived TIP peptide. Current Pharmaceutical Design 18 (27): 4236-4243
Dinamarca, J., Shlyk-Kerner, O., Kaftan, D., Goldberg, E., Dulebo, A., Gidekel, M., Gutierrez, A. and Scherz, A. (2011) Double mutation in photosystem II reaction centers and elevated CO2 grant thermotolerance to mesophilic cyanobacterium. PLoS ONE 6 (12): e28389. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028389
Prudnikova, T., Gavira, J.A., Řezáčová, P., Pineda Molina, E, Hunalová, I., Sviridova, E., Shmidt, V., Kohoutová, J., Kutý, M., Kaftan, D., Vácha, F., Garcıa-Ruiz, J.M. and Kutá Smatanová, I. (2010) Toward the crystallization of photosystem II core complex from Pisum sativum L. Crystal Growth & Design 10 (8): 3391-3396
Dulebo, A., Preiner, J., Kienberger, F., Kada, G., Rankl, C., Chtcheglova, L., Lamprecht, C., Kaftan, D. and Hinterdorfer P. (2009) Second harmonic atomic force microscopy imaging of live and fixed mammalian cells. Ultramicroscopy 109 (8): 1056-1060
Shlyk-Kerner, O., Samish, I., Kaftan, D., Holland, N., Sai, M., Kless, H. and Scherz, A. (2006) Protein flexibility acclimatizes photosynthetic energy conversion to the ambient temperature. Nature 442 (7104): 827-830
Vácha, F., Bumba, L., Kaftan, D. and Vácha, M. (2005) Microscopy and single molecule detection in photosynthesis. Micron 36 (6): 483-502
Adamec, F., Kaftan, D. and Nedbal, L. (2005) Stress induced filament fragmentation of Calothrix elenkinii (Cyanobacteria) is facilitated by death of high fluorescence cells. Journal of Phycology 41 (4): 835-839
Varsano, T., Kaftan, D. and Pick, U. (2003) Effects of iron deficiency on thylakoid membrane structure and composition in the alga Dunaliella salina. Journal of Plant Nutrition 26 (10-11): 2197-2210
Nevo, R., Stroh, C., Kienberger, F., Kaftan, D., Brumfeld, V., Elbaum, M., Reich, Z. and Hinterdorfer, P. (2003) A molecular switch between alternative conformational states in the complex of Ran and importin beta1. Nature Structural Biology 10 (7): 553-557
Kaftan, D., Brumfeld, V., Nevo, R., Scherz, A. and Reich, Z. (2002) From chloroplasts to photosystems: in situ scanning force microscopy on intact thylakoid membranes. EMBO Journal 21 (22): 6146-6153
Koblížek, M., Kaftan, D., Whitmarsh J. and Nedbal, L. (2001): On the relation between the chlorophyll fluorescence quenching and the photosystem II light harvesting efficiency. A repetitive flash fluorescence study. Photosynthesis Research 68 (2): 141-152
Nedbal, L., Soukupová, J., Kaftan, D., Whitmarsh, J. and Trtílek, M. (2000) Kinetic imaging of chlorophyll fluorescence using modulated light. Photosynthesis Research 66 (1-2): 3-12
Dijkman, N., Kaftan, D., Trtílek, M. and Nedbal, L. (1999) Measurements of phytoplankton of sub-nanomolar chlorophyll concentrations by a modified double-modulation fluorometer. Photosynthetica 37 (2): 249-254
Nedbal, L., Trtílek, M. and Kaftan, D. (1999): Flash fluorescence induction: A novel method to study regulation of photosystem II. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B-Biology 48 (2-3): 154-157
Kaftan, D., Mezsaros, T., Whitmarsh, J. and Nedbal, L. (1999) Characterization of photosynthetic activity and heterogeneity during the cell cycle of the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda, Plant Physiology 120 (2): 433-441
PatentsScherz, A., Shlyk-Kerner, O., Samish, I, Kaftan, D., Dinamarca, J. (2014) Photosynthetic organisms and compositions and methods of generating same. US 8629259
Kaftan, D., Lukeš, M., Nedbalová, L. (2011) Photosynthetic microorganism for production of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and ways to increase the content of PG in the said photosynthetic microorganism. CZ 2001-705
Scherz, A., Shlyk-Kerner, O., Samish, I, Kaftan, D., Dinamarca, J. (2009) Photosynthetic organisms and compositions and methods of generating same. EP 2046109
Scherz, A., Shlyk-Kerner, O., Samish, I, Kaftan, D., Dinamarca, J. (2008) Photosynthetic organisms with mutated polypeptide of type II reaction center and compositions and methods of generating same. IL2007000920