Kim ROELANTS

Kim focused his early post-doctoral research on phylogenetic patterns of diversification in amphibians. He is now integrating this phylogenetic background with transcriptome and peptidome data to explore the evolution of antimicrobial and anti-predatory skin peptides in various amphibians. Apart from providing an excellent model system for the study of adaptive evolution at a molecular scale, defensive skin peptides represent promising templates for novel bioactive compounds in various therapeutic applications.

Raaymakers, C., Verbrugghe, E., Hernot, S., Hellebuyck, T., Betti, C., Peleman, C., Claeys, M., Bert, W., Caveliers, V., Ballet, S., Martel, A., Pasmans, F. & K. Roelants, 2017 - Antimicrobial peptides in frog poisons constitute a molecular toxin delivery system against predators. Nat Commun 8(1): 1495.

Matthijs, S., Hernalsteens, J.-P. & K. Roelants, 2017 - An orthologue of the host-defense protein psoriasin (S100A7) is expressed in frog skin. Dev Comp Immunol. 67: 395-403.

Roelants, K., Fry, B.G., Ye, L., Stijlemans, B., Brys, L., Kok, P., Clynen, E., Schoofs, L., Cornelis, P. & F. Bossuyt, 2013 - Origin and functional diversification of an amphibian defense peptide arsenal. PLoS Genetics 9(8): e1003662.

Roelants, K., Haas, A., & F. Bossuyt, 2011 - Anuran radiations and the evolution of tadpole morphospace. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 108 (21): 8527-8916.

Roelants, K., Fry, B.G., Norman, J.A.,  Clynen, E., Schoofs, L. & F. Bossuyt, 2010 - Identical Skin Toxins by Convergent Molecular Adaptation in Frogs. Current Biology 20: 125-130.