Kevin Militello

Professor of Biology
Integrated Science Center 357
585-245-5312
militello@geneseo.edu

Dr. Kevin Militello has been a member of the Geneseo faculty since 2005.

Kevin Militello photo

Office Hours Fall 2024

  • Mondays 2:30pm-3:45pm ISC 357
  • Wednesdays 8:15am-9:15am ISC 357
  • Thursdays 8:15am-9:15am ISC 357

Curriculum Vitae

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard School of Public Health, 2000-2005

  • Ph.D. in Microbiology, SUNY Buffalo, 2000

  • B.S. in Biology, SUNY Buffalo, 1995

Research Interest

  • Relationship between the modified DNA base 5-methylcytosine and gene transcription in several organisms

Publications

  • Militello KT. 2024. The Trypanosoma brucei tRNA Methylome. Microbial Resource Announcements. In press.

  • Militello KT, J Leigh, M Pusateri, LK Read, and D Vogler. 2024. A Role for a Trypanosoma brucei Cytosine RNA Methyltransferase Homolog in Ribosomal RNA Processing. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298521

  • Militello KT and H Nedelkovska. 2022. An undergraduate laboratory to detect viruses in human DNA samples using qPCR. Biochem Mol Bio Educ. 50:319-325.

  • Hutchison E, A Scheffler, KT Militello, J Reinhardt, H Nedelkovska, and V Jamburuthugoda. 2022. An undergraduate laboratory exploring mutational mechanisms in Escherichia coli based on the Luria-Delbrück experiment. J Micro Biol Educ. 23:e00211-21.

  • Militello KT, L Finnerty-Haggerty, O Kambhampati, R Huss, and R Knapp. 2020. DNA cytosine methyltransferase enhances viability during prolonged stationary phase in Escherichia coli. FEMS Microbiology Lett. 367(20):fnaa166.

  • Militello KT and J Reinhardt. 2019. An undergraduate laboratory on RNA-seq analysis of bacterial gene expression. Biochem Mol Biol Ed. 47:161-167.

  • Militello KT, JC Lazatin. 2017. Discovery of CRISPR sequences in an undergraduate laboratory. Biochem Mol Biol Ed. 45:262-269.

  • Militello KT, RD Simon, AH Mandarano, A DiNatale, SM Hennick, JC Lazatin, and S. Cantatore. 2016. 5-azacytidine induces transcriptome changes in Escherichia coli via DNA methylation-dependent and DNA methylation-independent mechanisms. BMC Microbiol. 16:130.

  • Militello KT, Chang MM, Simon RD and Lazatin JC. 2016. Blue Genes: An integrative laboratory to differentiate genetic transformation from gene mutation for underclassmen. Biochem Mol Biol Ed. 44:55-62.

  • Militello KT, Chen L, Ackerman SE, Mandarano AH, and Valentine EL. 2014. A map of 5-methylcytosine residues in Trypanosoma brucei tRNA revealed by sodium bisulfite sequencing. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 193:122-126.

  • Militello KT, Mandarano AH, Varechtchouk O, and Simon RD. 2013. Cytosine DNA methylation influences drug resistance in Escherichia coli through increased expression of SugE. FEMS Microbiology Lett. 350:100-106.

  • Militello KT. 2013. Studying epigenetic DNA modifications in undergraduate laboratories using complementary bioinformatic and molecular approaches. Biochem Mol Biol Ed. 41:334-340.

  • Militello KT, Simon RD, Qureshi M, Maines R, VanHorne ML, Hennick SM, Jayakar SK, Pounder S. 2012. Conservation of Dcm-mediated cytosine DNA methylation in Escherichia coli. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2012 328:78-85.

  • Sims JS, KT Militello, PA Sims, VP Patel, JM Kasper, and DF Wirth. 2009. Patterns of gene-specific and total transcriptional activity during the Plasmodium falciparum intraerythrocytic development cycle. Eukaryotic Cell 8:327-338.

  • Militello KT, P Wang, SK Jayakar, RL Pietrasik, CD Dupont, K Dodd, AM King, and PR Valenti. 2008. African trypanosomes contain 5-methylcytosine in nuclear DNA. Eukaryotic Cell 7:2012-2016.

  • Militello KT, P Refour, CA Comeaux, MT Duraisingh. 2008. Antisense RNA and RNAi in protozoan parasites: Working hard or hardly working? Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 157:117-126.

  • Gunasekera AM, A Myrick, KT Militello, JS Sims, CK Dong, T Gierhan, K Le Roch, E Winzeler, and DF Wirth. 2007. Regulatory motifs uncovered among gene expression clusters in Plasmodium falciparum. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 153:19-30.

  • Militello KT, V Patel, AD Chessler, JK Fisher, JM Kasper, AM Gunasekera, and DF Wirth. 2005. RNA polymerase II synthesizes antisense RNA in Plasmodium falciparum. RNA 11:365-370.

  • Militello KT, M Dodge, L Bethke, and DF Wirth. 2004. Identification of regulatory elements in the Plasmodium falciparum genome. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 134:75-88.

  • Ryan CM, KT Militello, and LK Read. 2003. Polyadenylation regulates the stability of Trypanosoma brucei mitochondrial RNAs. J. Biol. Chem. 278:32753-32762.

  • Militello KT and DF Wirth. 2003. A new reporter gene for transient transfection of Plasmodium falciparum. Parasitol. Res. 89:154-157.

  • Militello KT, ML Hayman, and LK Read. 2000. Transcriptional and post-transcriptional in organello labelling of Trypanosoma brucei mitochondrial RNA. Int. J. Parasitol. 30:643-647.

  • Militello KT and LK Read. 2000. UTP-dependent and -independent pathways of mRNA turnover in Trypanosoma brucei mitochondria. Mol. Cell. Biol. 20:2308-2316.

  • Han Y, YM Loo, KT Militello, and T Melendy. 1999. Interactions of the papovavirus DNA replication initiator proteins, bovine papillomavirus type I E1 and simian virus 40 large T antigen, with human replication protein A. J. Virol. 73:4899-4907.

  • Militello KT and LK Read. 1999. Coordination of kRNA editing and polyadenylation in Trypanosoma brucei mitochondria: complete editing is not required for long poly(A) tract addition. Nucleic Acids Res. 27:1377-1385.

  • Murphy ER, A Dickenson, KT Militello, and TD Connell. 1999. Genetic characterization of wild-type and mutant fur genes of Bordetella avium. Infect. Immun. 67:3160-3165.

  • Read LK, KT Militello, and GE Nerantzakis. 1999. Cloning and characterization of cDNA encoding the Trypanosoma brucei ribosomal protein L24. Int. J. Parasitol. 29:601-605.

  • Connell TD, A Dickenson, AJ Martone, KT Militello, MJ Filiatraut, ML Hayman, and J Pitula. 1998. Iron starvation of Bordetella avium stimulates expression of five outer membrane proteins and regulates a gene involved in acquiring iron from serum. Infect. Immun. 66:3597-3605.

  • Yang M, XP Chen, K Militello, R Hoffman, B Fernandez, C Baumann, and P Gollnick. 1997. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of Bacillus subtilis trp RNA-binding attenuation protein (TRAP) reveals residues involved in tryptophan binding and RNA binding. J Mol Biol. 270:696-710.

More About Me

Additional Information

Epigenie epigenetics news

Announcements

  • I usually have several undergraduate research students in my laboratory.  Please contact me directly to determine if there are openings.

Interests

  • Infectious diseases (parasites and bacteria), modified DNA bases, epigenetics, genomics, gene expression, small RNAs

Classes

  • BIOL 120: General Biology Laboratory II

    An introductory experience which develops laboratory and analytical skills in the biological sciences. Students will learn introductory statistical analysis, oral communication, and techniques of applied research.

  • BIOL 222: Principles of Genetics

    An in-depth treatment of heredity, the gene, and the function of genetic material at the individual and population levels.

  • BIOL 390: Molecular Techniques

    A laboratory course that focuses on basic techniques commonly used in biotechnology. Lab exercises include DNA, RNA, and protein manipulations, web-based sequence analysis, and the use of associated apparatus. Prelab lectures cover background information on the techniques and their applications, followed by hands-on lab exercises.