dr Apolonia Witecka
aa.witecka@uw.edu.pl
tel. ( +48 22) 55 43 213
Research Topics and Interests:
I work in the research group of Jakub Drożak, PhD, DSc. Our team primarily focuses on the molecular identification and characterization of orphan enzymes in vertebrates. Orphan enzymes are enzymes with known activity, but the gene encoding the enzymatic protein is unknown [more information can be found at: zrm_jdrozak]. Besides orphan enzymes, my research interests include issues related to post-translational modifications of proteins, which are crucial for their activity and stability.
Rare diseases are also an important topic for me. This is a group of diseases that affect fewer than 1 in 2,000 people. Over 80% of rare diseases have a genetic basis. The average time to diagnosis for rare diseases is about 4 years, and unfortunately, effective treatments for these diseases are often lacking. Interdisciplinary work on behalf of rare diseases, bringing together scientists, doctors, patients, and their families, is crucial. I am also interested in topics related to emergency medicine and biochemistry in life-threatening situations.
Selected papers:
- Original articles:
- Witecka, A., Emmel, P., Ślusarczyk, K., Kamińska, J.Z., Zaród, M., Ishikawa, T., Drożak, J. (2025). Alpha-centractin is a novel substrate of SETD3 methyltransferase in vitro. PeerJ,13:e20195.
- Witecka, A., Kazak, V., Kwiatkowski, S., Kiersztan, A., Jagielski, A.K., Kozminski, W., Augustyniak, R., Drozak, J. (2024). Hydroxysteroid 17-β dehydrogenase 14 (HSD17B14) is an L-fucose dehydrogenase, the initial enzyme of the L-fucose degradation pathway. J Biol Chem, 300 (8), 107501.
- Kwiatkowski, S., Bozko, M., Zarod, M., Witecka, A., Kocdemir, K., Jagielski, A.K., Drozak, J. (2022). Recharacterization of the mammalian cytosolic type 2 (R)-β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase as 4-oxo-l-proline reductase (EC 1.1.1.104). J Biol Chem, 298 (3), 101708.
- Hintzen, J.C.J., Ma, H., Deng, H., Witecka, A., Andersen, S.B., Drozak, J., Guo, H., Qian, P., Li, H., Mecinović, J. (2022). Histidine methyltransferase SETD3 methylates structurally diverse histidine mimics in actin. 31 (5), e4305.
- Kiersztan, A., Gaanga, K., Witecka, A., Jagielski, A.K. (2021). DHEA-pretreatment attenuates oxidative stress in kidney-cortex and liver of diabetic rabbits and delays development of the disease. Biochimie, 185, 135-145.
- Bilgin, N., Moesgaard, L., Maas, M.N., Hintzen, J.C.J., Witecka, A., Drozak, J., Kongsted, J., Mecinović, J. (2022). Importance of Ile71 in β-actin on histidine methyltransferase SETD3 catalysis. Org Biomol Chem, 20,1723-1730.
- Al-Fakhar, M.S.Q., Bilgin, N., Moesgaard, L., Witecka, A., Drozak, J., Kongsted, J., Mecinović, J. (2023). The Role of Trp79 in β-Actin on Histidine Methyltransferase SETD3 Catalysis. Chembiochem, 24, e202300490.
- Review articles:
- Witecka, A., Kwiatkowski, S., Ishikawa, T., Drozak, J. (2021). The Structure, Activity, and Function of the SETD3 Protein Histidine Methyltransferase. Life, 11 (10), 1040.
- Szewczyk, A., Witecka, A., Kiersztan, A. (2019). Rola mikrobioty jelitowej w patogenezie chorób neuropsychiatrycznych i neurodegeneracyjnych. Postępy Higieny i Medycyny Doświadczalnej, 73, 865-886.
Organizational activities and popularization of science:
*2020-2023 Organization of Rare Disease Day at the Faculty of Biology
*2019-2024 Conducting lectures and workshops as part of the Biologists’ Night and the Science Festival
Chosen topics of lectures and workshops:
„Upward – Climbing through the eyes of a biochemist”
„Classy Zebras”
„How rare are rare diseases?”