Dr. Kevin Krajniak
Professor
Ph.D. University of Florida, 1990
Office: SW 1290
Research Lab: SW 0230
Phone: (618) 650-3467
E-mail: kkrajni@siue.edu
Courses Taught: Human Biology (Biology 140), Physiology ( Biology 340), Neurobiology (Biology 444a/544), Advanced Physiology (Biology 441), Cardiovascular Physiology (Biology 490/590).
Research Interests: As a pharmacologist I am interested in how the nervous system of the earthworm controls movements of digestive tract smooth muscles. Using an isolated crop-gizzard tissue bath preparation my students have shown that the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, serotonin, octopamine, FMRFamide, and members of the oxytocin/vasopressin family all regulate motility. Also we have used a series of agonists to classify each neurotransmitter receptor.
Research Opportunities: Undergraduate and graduate projects studying neuropeptides and neurotransmitters in invertebrates are available. Please contact me.
Selected Publications
Krajniak, K.G. 2013. Invertebrate FMRFamide-related peptides. Proteins and Peptide Letters. 20:647-670.
Krajniak, K.G. 2005. Annelid endocrine disruptors and a survey of invertebrate FMRFamide-Related Peptides. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 45: 88-96.
Grimes, I., J. Aleman, K. Griffin, B. Lawton, T. Slater, K. Krajniak and M. Bolyard 2004. Expression in E. coli and In Vitro Amidation of FMRFamide. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science. 97:23-31
Liu D, K. Krajniak, D. Chun, M. Sena, R. Casillas, V. Lelievre, T. Nguyen, D. Bravo, S. Colburn, JA. Waschek 2001. VIP gene transcription is regulated by far upstream enhancer and repressor elements. Biochemistry Biophysics Research Communications. 284(1):211-8.
Krajniak, K. G. and R. W. Klohr.. 2001. The use of the isolated earthworm crop-gizzard as a model for teaching smooth muscle physiology. The American Biology Teacher. 61:59-6
Krajniak, K.G. and R.W. Klohr. 1999. The effects of FMRFamide, serotonin, and acetylcholine on the isolated crop-gizzard of the earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 123A:409-415.
