{"id":20990,"date":"2023-06-05T13:38:37","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T17:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ppb\/?post_type=profile&p=20990"},"modified":"2025-10-08T12:48:34","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T16:48:34","slug":"barbara-seaton","status":"publish","type":"profile","link":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ppb\/profile\/barbara-seaton\/","title":{"rendered":"Barbara Seaton"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>Research<\/h4>\n

The long-term research interests of our lab concern interactions between mammalian proteins and biomembranes or other large assemblies such as viruses. Our current focus is on the lung surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A and SP-D) and their role in innate defense against inhaled pathogens such as seasonal and pandemic strains of influenza A virus (IAV). These proteins are C-type lectins that can recognize sugars and other signature components on microbial surfaces, and can initiate events leading to pathogen neutralization. In our lab, we use x-ray crystallography, molecular modeling, and various biochemical and biophysical methods to understand the nature of these interactions at the highest resolution possible.<\/p>\n


Selected Publications:<\/h5>\n

van Eijk M, Rynkiewicz MJ, White MR, Hartshorn KL, Zou X, Schulten K, Luo D, Crouch EC, Cafarella TR, Head JF, Haagsman HP, Seaton BA. (2012) A unique sugar-binding site mediates the distinct anti-influenza activity of pig surfactant protein D. J Biol Chem 287(32), 26666-77. (PMID: 22685299)<\/p>\n

Shang FF, Rynkiewicz MJ, McCormack FX, Wu H, Cafarella TM, Head JF, Seaton BA (2011) Crystallographic complexes of surfactant protein-A and carbohydrates reveal ligand-induced conformational change. J. Biol. Chem. 286, 757-65. (PMID: 21047777)<\/p>\n

van Eijk, M, Brunsma L, Hartshorn KL, White MR, Rynkiewicz MJ, Seaton BA, Hemrika W, Romijn RA, van Balkom BW, Haagsman HP (2011) Introduction of N-linked glycans in the lectin domain of surfactant protein D: impact on interactions with influenza A viruses. J Biol Chem 286, 20137-51. (PMID:21489996)<\/p>\n

Crouch E, Nikolaidis N, McCormack F, McDonald B, Allen K, Rynkiewicz M, Cafarella T, White M, Lewnard K, Leymarie N, Zaia J, Seaton B, Hartshorn K (2011) Mutagenesis of SP-D informed by evolution and x-ray crystallography enhances defenses against influenza in vivo. J. Biol Chem. 286, 40681-92. (PMID: 21965658)<\/p>\n

Seaton BA, Crouch EC, McCormack FX, Head JF, Hartshorn KL, Mendelsohn R. (2010) Structural determinants of pattern recognition by lung collectins. Innate Immun. 16: 143-150.<\/p>\n

Crouch, E., K. Hartshorn, T. Horlacher, B. McDonald, K. Smith, T. Cafarella, B. Seaton, P. H. Seeberger, and J. Head (2009) Recognition of mannosylated ligands and influenza A virus by human surfactant protein D: contributions of an extended site and residue 343. Biochemistry 48:3335-3345<\/p>\n

Wang H, Head J, Kosma P, Brade H, M\u00fcller-Loennies S, Sheikh S, McDonald B, Smith K, Cafarella T, Seaton B, Crou.ch E (2008) Recognition of heptoses and the inner core of bacterial lipopolysaccharides by Surfactant Protein D. Biochemistry 47,710-720.<\/p>\n

Wang L, Brauner JW, Mao G, Crouch E, Seaton B, Head J, Smith K, Flach CR, Mendelsohn R. (2008) Interaction of recombinant surfactant protein D with lipopolysaccharide: conformation and orientation of bound protein by IRRAS and simulations. Biochemistry 47, 8103-8113.<\/p>\n

Crouch, E.C., McDonald, B., Smith, K., Mealy (Carafella), T., Seaton, B.A., Head, J.F. (2007) Critical Role of Arg\/Lys343 in the Species-Dependent Recognition of Phosphatidylinositol by Pulmonary Surfactant Protein D. Biochemistry 46, 5160-5169.<\/p>\n

Crouch, E.C., McDonald, B., Smith, K., (Mealy) Cafarella, T., Seaton, B.A., Head, J.F. (2006) Contributions of Phe335 to Carbohydrate Recognition by Human Surfactant Protein D: Stacking Interactions with Lung Collectin Ligands. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 18008-14.<\/p>\n

Crouch, E.C., Smith, K , McDonald, B., Briner, D., Linders, B., McDonald, J., Holmskov, U., Head, J.F., Hartshorn, K. (2006) Species differences in the carbohydrate binding preferences of surfactant protein D. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 35, 84-94.<\/p>\n

Head, J.F., Mealy, T.R., McCormack, F.X., and Seaton, B.A. (2003) Crystal Structure of Trimeric Carbohydrate Recognition and Neck Domains of Surfactant Protein A. J. Biol. Chem. 278, 43254-60.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Contact Us<\/h5>\n

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics
\nChobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
\n700 Albany Street
\nBoston MA 02118-2526<\/p>\n

Phone:(617) 358-8445
\ne-mail: seatonba@bu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1811,"template":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ppb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile\/20990"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ppb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ppb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/profile"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ppb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1811"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ppb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile\/20990\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24018,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ppb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile\/20990\/revisions\/24018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ppb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}