Background

I am a postdoctoral researcher interested in the fundamental aspects of structure and function of proteins in pathogenic bacteria.

During my PhD in Dr Kevin Waldron lab at Newcastle University, I have studied impact of cofactor specificity on the catalytic activity of metalloproteins, and how it translated into bacterial defence against attack by the immune system. 

Currently, I am working in Dr Paula Salgado lab, studying the structure and function of a repertoire of proteins involved in pathobiology of C. difficile.

I am using a combination of microbiology, biochemistry, biophysics, and structural biology techniques, to characterise S-layer and explore its links with infectivity in C. difficile. I am also using my expertise to investigate the engulfasome - protein machineries involved in formation of C. difficile spores. 

Publications

• Lanzoni-Mangutchi P, Banerji O, Wilson J, Barwinska-Sendra A, Kirk JA, Vaz F, O'Beirne S, Basle A, El Omari K, Wagner A, Fairweather NF, Douce GR, Bullough PA, Fagan RP, Salgado PS. Structure and assembly of the S-layer in C. difficile. Nature Communications 2022, 13(1), 970.
• Barwinska-Sendra A, Garcia YM, Sendra KM, Baslé A, Mackenzie ES, Tarrant E, Card P, Tabares LC, Bicep C, Un S, Kehl-Fie TE, Waldron KJ. An evolutionary path to altered cofactor specificity in a metalloenzyme. Nature Communications 2020, 11(1), 2738.
• Tarrant E, Riboldi GP, McIlvin MR, Stevenson J, Barwinska-Sendra A, Stewart LJ, Saitob MA, Waldron KJ. Copper stress in Staphylococcus aureus leads to adaptive changes in central carbon metabolism. Metallomics 2019, 11(1), 183-200.
• Barwinska-Sendra A, Basle A, Waldron KJ, Un S. A charge polarization model for the metal-specific activity of superoxide dismutases. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2018, 20(4), 2363-2372.
• Dembek M, Kelly A, Barwinska-Sendra A, Vollmer D, Biboy J, Gray J, Vollmer W, Salgado PS. Peptidoglycan degradation machinery in Clostridium difficile forespore engulfment. Molecular Microbiology 2018, 110(3), 390-410.
• Garcia YM, Barwinska-Sendra A, Tarrant E, Skaar EP, Waldron KJ, Kehl-Fie TE. A Superoxide Dismutase Capable of Functioning with Iron or Manganese Promotes the Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to Calprotectin and Nutritional Immunity. PLoS Pathogens 2017, 13(1), e1006125.
• Barwinska-Sendra A, Waldron KJ. The Role of Intermetal Competition and Mis-Metalation in Metal Toxicity. In: Robert K. Poole, ed. Microbiology of Metal Ions. Kidlington, Oxford: Academic Press, 2017, pp.315-379.