Kerri Kobryn, University of Saskatchewan

Research

hairpin telomeres telomere resolution telomere capping chromosome segregation dna replication dna rearrangements borrelia burgdorferi agrobacterium tumefaciens

Latest papers

Minimal mutational requirements for conversion of a telomere resolvase into a Cre-like site-specific recombinase.
PloS one · 2026 · senior author
Conversion of a telomere resolvase into a Cre-like site-specific recombinase.
PloS one · 2025 · senior author
Design and characterization of hyperactive mutants of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens telomere resolvase, TelA.
PloS one · 2024 · senior author

All 13 publications

Latest funding

Molecular studies of hairpin telomeres in bacteria.
NSERC · 2024 · Principal investigator
$47,000
The role of recombination in hairpin telomere maintenance.
NSERC · 2017 · Principal investigator
$156,000
Study of a DNA transposon in the lyme disease spirochete
NSERC · 2011 · Principal investigator
$150,000

All 3 grants and awards

13 publications.

01

Minimal mutational requirements for conversion of a telomere resolvase into a Cre-like site-specific recombinase.

Huang SH, Kobryn K

PloS one2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0350834 PMID: 42213814

02

Conversion of a telomere resolvase into a Cre-like site-specific recombinase.

Huang SH, Balouchi M, Kobryn K

PloS one2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328478 PMID: 40674379

03

Design and characterization of hyperactive mutants of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens telomere resolvase, TelA.

Huang SH, Abrametz K, McGrath SL, Kobryn K

PloS one2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307590 PMID: 39052566

04

The telomere resolvase, TelA, utilizes an underwound pre-cleavage intermediate to promote hairpin telomere formation.

Balouchi M, Huang SH, McGrath SL, Kobryn K

PloS one2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294732 PMID: 38019799

05

The N-terminal domain of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens telomere resolvase, TelA, regulates its DNA cleavage and rejoining activities.

McGrath SL, Huang SH, Kobryn K

The Journal of biological chemistry2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101951 PMID: 35447111

06

Single stranded DNA annealing is a conserved activity of telomere resolvases.

McGrath SL, Huang SH, Kobryn K

PloS one2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246212 PMID: 33539370

07

Biochemical characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi's RecA protein.

Huang SH, Hart MA, Wade M, Cozart MR, McGrath SL, Kobryn K

PloS one2017Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187382 PMID: 29088268

08

The Borrelia burgdorferi telomere resolvase, ResT, possesses ATP-dependent DNA unwinding activity.

Huang SH, Cozart MR, Hart MA, Kobryn K

Nucleic acids research2017Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1243 PMID: 28180323

09

The Borrelia burgdorferi telomere resolvase, ResT, anneals ssDNA complexed with its cognate ssDNA-binding protein.

Huang SH, Kobryn K

Nucleic acids research2016Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw344 PMID: 27131360

10

Spring loading a pre-cleavage intermediate for hairpin telomere formation.

Lucyshyn D, Huang SH, Kobryn K

Nucleic acids research2015Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv497 PMID: 26007659

Molecular studies of hairpin telomeres in bacteria.

Principal investigatorNSERC2024Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kobryn, Kerri

Keywords: hairpin telomeres; telomere resolution; telomere capping; chromosome segregation; dna replication; dna rearrangements; borrelia burgdorferi; agrobacterium tumefaciens; linear chromosome; linear plasmids

$47,000

The role of recombination in hairpin telomere maintenance.

Principal investigatorNSERC2017Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kobryn, Kerri

$156,000

Study of a DNA transposon in the lyme disease spirochete

Principal investigatorNSERC2011Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kobryn, Kerri

$150,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

George Chaconas

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

1 shared papers, latest 2014

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2024

Subject: Prospective PhD student: hairpin telomeres Dear Professor Kobryn, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Minimal mutational requirements for conversion of a telomere resolvase into a Cre-like site-specific recombinase." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Molecular studies of hairpin telomeres in bacteria." (2024), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]