Dr Nikola Ojkic
Lecturer
School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Bacterial cell size regulation, Biophysics, Antibiotic resistance, Microbiology
Interests
My group investigates biochemical and biophysical principles of bacterial cell shape and size control. We aim to understand how different core cellular components such as DNA, membranes, cell wall and ribosomes control bacterial cell shapes. We are also interested in how bacteria respond to different environmental and stress conditions and how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics.Our group uses multi-disciplinary approaches that combine microbiological experiments, imaging, image analysis, biophysical modelling and computer simulations. By understanding how bacterial cells transform their physiology, metabolic pathways, cell shape and size under different antibiotic perturbations, we will be able to develop new strategies for effectively killing pathogenic bacteria.
We are also interested in how bacterial cells respond to starvation while making long-lasting bacterial spores. We collaborate with sporulation expert Javier López-Garrido and his group at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, Germany.
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology2024
Ng TW, Ojkic N, Serbanescu D and Banerjee S (2024). Differential growth regulates asymmetric size partitioning in Caulobacter crescentus. Life Science Alliance vol. 7 (8) 28-05-2024
2022
Ojkic N, Serbanescu D and Banerjee S (2022). Antibiotic Resistance via Bacterial Cell Shape-Shifting. mBio, American Society for Microbiology vol. 13 (3), e00659-e00622. 26-05-2022
2021
Serbanescu D, Ojkic N and Banerjee S (2021). Cellular resource allocation strategies for cell size and shape control in bacteria. The FEBS Journal, Wiley vol. 289 (24), 7891-7906. 30-10-2021
Benn G, Mikheyeva IV, Inns PG, Forster JC, Ojkic N, Bortolini C, Ryadnov MG, Kleanthous C, Silhavy TJ and Hoogenboom BW (2021). Phase separation in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences vol. 118 (44) 29-10-2021
Ojkic N and Banerjee S (2021). Bacterial cell shape control by nutrient-dependent synthesis of cell division inhibitors. Biophysical Journal, Elsevier vol. 120 (11), 2079-2084. 08-04-2021
Banerjee S, Lo K, Ojkic N, Stephens R, Scherer NF and Dinner AR (2021). Mechanical feedback promotes bacterial adaptation to antibiotics. Nature Physics, Springer Nature vol. 17 (3), 403-409. 04-01-2021
2020
Serbanescu D, Ojkic N and Banerjee S (2020). Nutrient-Dependent Trade-Offs between Ribosomes and Division Protein Synthesis Control Bacterial Cell Size and Growth. Cell Reports, Elsevier vol. 32 (12) 01-09-2020
Ojkic N, Lilja E, Direito S, Dawson A, Allen RJ and Waclaw B (2020). A Roadblock-and-Kill Mechanism of Action Model for the DNA-Targeting Antibiotic Ciprofloxacin. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, American Society for Microbiology vol. 64 (9), 10.1128/aac.02487-10.1128/aac.02419. 20-08-2020
2019
Ojkic N, Serbanescu D and Banerjee S (2019). Surface-to-volume scaling and aspect ratio preservation in rod-shaped bacteria. eLife, eLife vol. 8 28-08-2019
2018
Watson C, Hush P, Williams J, Dawson A, Ojkic N, Titmuss S and Waclaw B (2018). Reduced adhesion between cells and substrate confers selective advantage in bacterial colonies(a)(a) Contribution to the Focus Issue Evolutionary Modeling and Experimental Evolution edited by José Cuesta, Joachim Krug and Susanna Manrubia. EPL (Europhysics Letters), IOP Publishing vol. 123 (6) 01-09-2018
Lopez-Garrido J, Ojkic N, Khanna K, Wagner FR, Villa E, Endres RG and Pogliano K (2018). Chromosome Translocation Inflates Bacillus Forespores and Impacts Cellular Morphology. Cell, Elsevier vol. 172 (4), 758-770.e14. 01-02-2018
2016
Ojkic N, López-Garrido J, Pogliano K and Endres RG (2016). Cell-wall remodeling drives engulfment during Bacillus subtilis sporulation. eLife, eLife vol. 5 17-11-2016
2014
Ojkic N, López-Garrido J, Pogliano K and Endres RG (2014). Bistable Forespore Engulfment in Bacillus subtilis by a Zipper Mechanism in Absence of the Cell Wall. PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science (PLoS) vol. 10 (10) 30-10-2014
2012
Laporte D, Ojkic N, Vavylonis D and Wu J-Q (2012). α-Actinin and fimbrin cooperate with myosin II to organize actomyosin bundles during contractile-ring assembly. Molecular Biology of the Cell, American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) vol. 23 (16), 3094-3110. 27-06-2012
2011
Ojkic N, Wu J-Q and Vavylonis D (2011). Model of myosin node aggregation into a contractile ring: the effect of local alignment. Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, IOP Publishing vol. 23 (37) 23-08-2011
Xu T, Li H, Shen T, Ojkic N, Vavylonist D and Huang X (2011). EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS OF ACTIN NETWORKS BASED ON OPEN ACTIVE CONTOUR MODELS. 2011 IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: From Nano to Macro. 30-03-2011
2010
Ojkic N and Vavylonis D (2010). Kinetics of Myosin Node Aggregation into a Contractile Ring. Physical Review Letters, American Physical Society (APS) vol. 105 (4) 20-07-2010
Grants
Alteration in bacterial cell envelope structure as the mechanism of antibiotic resistance and cell deathNikola Ojkic
£562,114 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-09-2024 - 31-08-2027)