Proper partitioning of mitochondria and mtDNA is critical for cellular health. Investigations into mitochondrial inheritance, specifically how mtDNA inheritance is coupled with the inheritance mitochondrial compartment, are still in the early stages. We use budding yeast as a model polarized cell system to study a mitochondrial Myo2-adaptor protein, Mmr1, in...
Bacteria often coordinate virulence factors to fine-tune the host response during infection. These coordinated events can include toxins counteracting or amplifying effects of another toxin or though regulating the stability of virulence factors to remove their function once it is no longer needed. Multifunctional autoprocessing repeats-in toxin (MARTX) toxins are...
Periodic exposure to light and dark as a result of rotation of the Earth have served as a major evolutionary pressure to partition divergent biological processes to different phases of the day. Mammals display periods of activity/inactivity, wake/sleep, and feeding/fasting during distinct portions of the day. In mammals, these activities...
Uterine leiomyomas (fibroids) are a major source of gynaecologic morbidity in reproductive age women and are characterised by the excessive deposition of a disorganised extracellular matrix, resulting in rigid benign tumours. Clinically, leiomyoma patients usually present with pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, as well as heavy cyclic and non-cyclic bleeding. Curative...
Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) tumors are the most malignant brain cancers and are characterized as Grade IV astrocytomas by the World Health Organization. GBM tumors can be classified into three molecular subtypes known as proneural, classical, and mesenchymal. In addition, GBM tumors also have a small population of cells known as...
Animals must establish the correct form during development. Regeneration is a process by which some animals reestablish their form following injury. This process requires both the generation of new missing cells after injury, and information to pattern new cells to reestablish the correct form. Planarian flatworms have an almost unlimited...
The histone methyltransferase DOT1L methylates lysine 79 (K79) on histone H3 and is implicated in active transcription. Here we show that DOT1L is overexpressed in Prostate cancer (PCa) and is associated with poor clinical outcome. Genetic and chemical inhibition of DOT1L selectively impaired viability of androgen receptor (AR)-signaling competent PCa...
Skeletal muscle is one of the most abundant tissues in the body and makes up over 40% of the total body mass. It is important for mobility and posture maintenance as well as plays a central role in whole body metabolism. Skeletal muscle is made up of bundles of muscle...
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-cutaneous cancer among U.S. men. Lack of effective treatments for advanced disease make it a significant public health concern. However, PCa’s long natural history makes it an excellent target for prevention approaches that reduce overtreatment of indolent disease, treatment related morbidity, and mortality....
NSD2, a histone methyltransferase specific for methylation of histone 3 lysine 36 (H3K36), exhibits a glutamic acid to lysine mutation at residue 1099 (E1099K) in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Cells harboring this mutation can become the predominant clone in relapsing disease. We studied the effects of this mutant enzyme...