Author

Q. Dragotakes

Listed by name: these papers carry no ORCID for this author, so different people with the same name may be mixed together.

Biology Disciplines

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Microbiology· 5 Immunology· 1 Scientific Communication & Education· 1

Signature Assays, Organisms & Methods

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Approach:experimental assay· 6 Assay:imaging· 4 Research Focus:cell signaling & trafficking· 3 Research Focus:host-pathogen & immune response· 3 Organism:mouse· 3 Organism:fungi (other)· 2 Approach:statistical model· 2 Research Focus:benchmarking· 1

Frequent Co-Authors

A. Casadevall· 7 shared A. Bergman· 2 shared L. S. Ramirez· 2 shared M. S. Fu· 2 shared A. Dziedzic· 1 shared A. Jedlicka· 1 shared C. Coelho· 1 shared C. M. Leon-Rodriguez· 1 shared

Activity by Year

2019-2024 · peak 2/yr

Co-Author Collaboration Network

10 top collaborators · 24 mutual co-author links

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7 shared papersMicrobiology

A. Casadevall

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Author profile →

7 papers

Recent·Most cited

A food color based colorimetric assay for Cryptococcus neoformans laccase activity

L. R. S. Ramirez, Q. Dragotakes, A. Casadevall

This paper develops a food color-based colorimetric assay to measure laccase activity in Cryptococcus neoformans strains, finding it to be cost-effective, irreversible, and not requiring constant monitoring.

bioRxiv · Jan 1, 2024 · PreprintImmunology

Scientific civility and academic performance

E. Camacho, Q. Dragotakes, I. Hartshorn, A. Casadevall, D. L. Buccino

This study introduces the C score, a new indicator that measures scientific civility and its impact on academic performance by analyzing collaboration and productivity data from 1000 scientists.

bioRxiv · Jan 26, 2023 · PreprintScientific Communication & Education

Melanization is an important antifungal defense mechanism in Galleria mellonella hosts

D. F. Q. Smith, Q. Dragotakes, M. Kulkarni, J. M. Hardwick, A. Casadevall

This study shows that melanization in Galleria mellonella larvae directly kills Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans by encapsulating fungal cells, with some yeast forms surviving and breaking through encapsulation.

bioRxiv · Apr 2, 2022 · PreprintMicrobiology

Bet-hedging antimicrobial strategies in macrophage phagosome acidification drive the dynamics of Cryptococcus neoformans intracellular escape mechanisms

Q. Dragotakes, E. Jacobs, L. S. Ramirez, O. I. Yoon, C. Perez-Stable, H. Eden, J. Pagnotta, R. Vij, A. Bergman, F. D'Alessio, A. Casadevall

This study identifies that stochastic phagosomal acidification and oxidative stress drive stochastic Dragotcytosis in Cryptococcus neoformans, enabling fungal escape from macrophages.

bioRxiv · Nov 29, 2021Microbiology

Cryptococcus neoformans releases proteins during intracellular residence that affect the outcome of the fungal-macrophage interaction

E. H. Jung, Y.-D. Park, Q. Dragotakes, L. S. Ramirez, D. F. Smith, A. Dziedzic, P. R. Williamson, A. Jedlicka, A. Casadevall, C. Coelho

This study identifies fungal proteins released by Cryptococcus neoformans during macrophage infection, revealing their potential role in modulating virulence and host-pathogen interactions.

bioRxiv · Sep 21, 2021Microbiology

Macrophages utilize a bet-hedging strategy for antimicrobial activity in phagolysosomal acidification

Q. Dragotakes, K. Stouffer, M. S. Fu, Y. Sella, C. Youn, I. Yoon, C. M. Leon-Rodriguez, J. B. Freij, A. Bergman, A. Casadevall

The paper shows macrophages use a bet-hedging strategy by stochastically acidifying phagolysosomes to reduce variation in antimicrobial effectiveness.

bioRxiv · Mar 11, 2020Microbiology

Dragotcytosis: Elucidation of the Mechanism for Cryptococcus neoformans Macrophage-to-Macrophage Transfer

Q. Dragotakes, M. S. Fu, A. Casadevall

The paper investigates Cryptococcus neoformans transfer between macrophages, finding that it occurs via a non-lytic process involving exocytosis and phagocytosis, termed Dragotcytosis.

The Journal of Immunology · May 1, 2019Peer-reviewedMicrobiology