MCDB N e w s

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Fall 2005 Contents Eran Pichersky James Bardwell Collegiate Awarded Named HHMI Professorship...... 1 Collegiate Investigator HHMI Investigator...... 1 Professorship MCDB Associate Professor, James MCDB Professor, Bardwell, has been selected as a Eran Pichersky, Howard Hughes Medical Institute New MCDB Website...... 1 was recently investigator effective September 1, honored by being 2005. Jim will join a prestigious group Chair’s Message...... 2 named a Collegiate of about 300 HHMI investigators Professor by the serving as faculty science Spotlight...... 2 College of LS&A members at host in recognition of Eran Pichersky institutions, like Our New his truly extraordinary record of the University of Faculty...... 3 accomplishment in research, service Michigan, which and teaching. His title will be the has a long-term Emeritus Honors...... 4 Michael M. Martin Collegiate collaborative Professor of Molecular, Cellular and relationship with James Bardwell In Memorium...... 4 Developmental Biology. the HHMI. New MCDB Website MCDB Faculty MCDB is pleased to announce the launching of our new departmental website Happenings...... 4 on September 1st, 2005. We hope you will find it informative and “search friendly.” In addition to a new graphical design and greatly enhanced navigation Priscilla Connell capability, we expanded the content of the site to include new Memorial Lectures...... 5 sections such as: • Faculty News – Up-to-date information on faculty Sponsored Research happenings in MCDB. Highlights...... 5 • People Directories – Faculty, Graduate Students, Office MC of the Chair and Staff directories featuring pictures and various sort capabilities. PostDoctoral Fellows & DB • Research – Descriptions of the six major research areas Where are they now?... 6 of focus in MCDB, an Area of Interest directory to quickly identify faculty members by area of focus with PhD Degrees links to individual faculty lab websites. Granted...... 6 • Alumni Section – A brand new section just for our alumni including a Directory, Newsletters, Alumni News, Donation Opportunities, Endowments, Undergraduate and a Donor Honor Roll. Honors...... 7 Our goal in designing a new website was to make it easier for external and internal viewers to get in touch with and learn more about MCDB. We hope Donor Honor Roll...... 8 it is an enjoyable viewing experience! inside You can access the new site at http://www.mcdb.lsa.umich.edu. A Message from the Chair

I am pleased to report great progress the organization of courses for first on all four of the initiatives I told you and second year students. about in the 2004 newsletter. Third, in December 2005 we will begin First, we have a superb group of new moving undergraduate lab courses faculty members. Pamela Raymond into the new Undergraduate Science and Gyorgyi Csankovszki add strength Building. This building, which is in Developmental Biology, while located between the Dental School Yanzhuang Wang and Tzvi Tzfira add and the Life Science Institute, will be strength in Cell Biology and the home of most of our lab classes . We continue to actively and also has classrooms with a variety recruit new faculty to the Department of innovative new designs that will Richard Hume with the focus of recruiting for the foster interaction between students. Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and Chair coming year on the areas of neurobiology and animal physiology. Fourth, the planning phase for a new We always are glad to hear from building to house MCDB research has graduates of our programs, so please Second, as far as undergraduate just been completed. Pei Cobb Freed send a note or an e-mail message to education, we have now activated a and Partners and the SmithGroup [email protected] if there is new major in neuroscience and have come up with an exciting plan news you would like to share, or if reactivated the dormant major in for the building, and we are awaiting you would like more information microbiology. This year, the major authorization to move forward to about developments in the topic that we will be dealing with is schematic design and construction. Department.

Science Spotlight with Ursula Jakob Stress is what Ursula Jakob and her team handles best, particularly oxidative normal and disease conditions have stress, which goes hand in hand with living a life with oxygen. An unavoidable now been shown to be associated with consequence of breathing air is the and may even be caused by the continuous production of reactive oxygen accumulation of reactive oxygen species inside the cells. These are species. These include aging, remarkably potent oxidants and are able neurodegenerative diseases such as to destroy many different cellular Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s components including DNA, and disease, diabetes, and cancer. membranes. It is therefore not surprising that organisms have developed defense During her postdoctoral work, Ursula systems that efficiently neutralize reactive Jakob discovered the Hsp33, oxygen species and avert the danger. which is not damaged by oxidative When these defense systems become stress but rather uses reactive oxygen overwhelmed, however, cells become species as the trigger to turn on its oxidatively stressed and the toxic effects Ursula Jakob of reactive oxygen species prevail. Many Ursula Jakob continued on page three

2 Our New Faculty Pamela Raymond Yanzhuang Wang Professor Pamela Raymond joins our Assistant Professor Yanzhuang Wang department from the Department of has joined us from the Yale University Cell & Developmental Biology at UM’s School of Medicine. He served as an Medical School. Her research involves associate research scientist with Dr. the molecular basis of cell-cell Graham Warren in the department of interactions that regulate retinal Cell Biology. His research involves the neurogenesis and neuronal specificity Golgi apparatus, specifically the identification of during development and regeneration. proteins that help generate and maintain the Golgi structure.

Gyorgyi Csankovszki Tzvi Tzfira Assistant Professor Gyorgyi On January 1, 2006, Assistant Csankovszki is joining Michigan from Professor Tzvi Tzfira will join the the University of California, Berkeley, department from the State University where she served as a postdoctoral of New York, Stony Brook, where he research fellow in the lab of Dr. Barbara completed his postdoctoral research in Meyer. Her research focuses on the role the lab of Dr. Vitaly Citovsky. His of condensin complexes in establishing higher order research focuses on the identification and chromosome structure and regulating gene expression. characterization of plant protein(s) involved in T- DNA nuclear import, uncoating, and integration.

Ursula Jakob continued which becomes specifically activated in cells exposed to activity. This work was published in the journal Cell, oxidative stress, and protects other cellular proteins from regarded by many as the most prestigious biological oxidative damage. During her tenure as a faculty member, journal in the world. She found that Hsp33 is member Ursula Jakob and her lab discovered the mechanism by of a rapidly growing family of redox-regulated proteins which Hsp33 senses and responds to oxidative stress, that form part of a sophisticated cellular strategy that making Hsp33 a paradigm for redox sensing proteins allows cells to fight excess levels of reactive oxygen that use zinc centers as redox switches. species. Hsp33 is a highly potent molecular chaperone, The major focus in her lab is now to find other redox- regulated proteins and to identify sources and targets of When these defense systems oxidative stress during the aging process. To achieve this goal, the Jakob lab has developed a global screen to detect become overwhelmed... and identify redox sensitive proteins in the cell and use cells become oxidatively oxidative stress sensors to monitor oxidative stress in stressed and the vivo. These techniques provide them with the ability to obtain an in vivo snapshot of the redox status of proteins toxic effects of reactive during the aging process and to possibly even determine oxygen species prevail. which oxidants are responsible for aging.

3 Emeritus Honors Lewis Kleinsmith, Ph.D., was named Professor Emeritus of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology on December 31, 2004, following 35 years as a faculty member at the University of Michigan. Professor Kleinsmith joined the University of Michigan faculty as Assistant Professor in 1968, and was subsequently promoted to Associate Professor (1971) and Professor (1975). Much of Professor Kleinsmith’s research at Michigan was devoted to a further elucidation of the role of phosphorylation of The Michigan proteins of the cell nucleus in regulation of gene expression. For his research accomplishments he was named a fellow of the American Association for Difference the Advancement of Science. Professor Kleinsmith was also named an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and received awards from the Governor of Michigan and the Michigan Technology Council. Funding priorities for MCDB and detailed descriptions are available at: H In Memorium I Dr. Patricia Stocking Brown Barb Madsen http://www.lsa.umich.edu/ (1942 – 2004) UofM/Content/lsa/ Barb Madsen passed away over the document/MCDB-product.pdf Dr. Patricia Stocking Brown passed weekend of June 11th, 2005. Barb away at her home on November 13, was an alumna of the Botany 2004. Dr. Brown earned her BS, Department and a longtime friend MS, and Ph.D. (1968) in Zoology and associate of many of the plant For change of address, from the University of Michigan. ecologists and systematists in the or if you do not wish to receive future She was a Biology member at Siena Department. Barb's two great MCDB publications, College (New York) from 1969 to passions were her work on please email: 1980 where she was professor and Michigan botany, particularly bogs [email protected] department chair for several years. and vocal ensemble Vox.

MCDB Faculty Happenings Bob Denver assumed regular member status of an Janine Maddock was elected for a three year term as NIH Study Section. He also served as Secretary/ an LSA representative on the University Senate Treasurer of the International Federation of Assembly. Comparative Endocrine Societies (IFCES) and chair- elect of the Division of Comparative Endocrinology Laura Olsen was selected by the University to attend of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. the 2005 national Center for Integration of Research, Teaching & Learning Forum held in Madison, Wisconsin. Daniel Klionsky became Editor-in-Chief of Autophagy, a new peer-reviewed journal with an Kathryn Tosney was Keynote Speaker at the 7th international audience. Annual Enriching Scholarship Conference held at the University of Michigan.

4 Fourth and Fifth Priscilla Connell Memorial Lectures

The fourth Priscilla Connell Memorial transduction inside living cells. He is Lecture held Tuesday, November 16, also developing new ways to target 2004, featured Dr. contrast agents and therapeutic agents Roger Tsien, to tumor cells based on their expression Professor of of extracellular proteases. Pharmacology, Chemistry, & Biochemistry Monday, March 21, 2005, Dr. Susan L. University of Lindquist presented her talk on “The California, San Amazing Biology of and Dr. Roger Tsien Diego and HHMI Misfolding” at the fifth Priscilla Connell Dr. Susan Lindquist Investigator. Dr. Tsien presented his Memorial Lecture. Dr. Susan Lindquist stress tolerance, neurodegenerative talk on “Genetically and Proteolytically is a Professor of Biology at the disease and . Her research has Targeted Contrast Agents: From Massachusetts Institute of Technology provided critical support for a new Ultrastructure to Clinical Samples.” and member of the genetic theory wherein biological changes Dr. Roger Tsien’s research has been at for Biomedical Research. Dr. Lindquist are passed from generation to generation the interfaces between organic is a pioneer in the study of the stress through assemblies of misshapen chemistry, cell biology, and response and protein folding. Lindquist proteins rather than through changes in neurobiology. He is best known for is widely known for her groundbreaking DNA and RNA. designing and building molecules that work on how changes in protein either report or perturb signal conformation affect processes such as

These lectures were made possible from a generous endowment by Mr. Paul Connell, in loving memory of his wife Priscilla Harrison Connell. Priscilla Connell was a renowned nature photographer whose work has appeared in Sierra Club and Audubon Society magazines and calendars, as well as other notable publications. She won the Roger Tory Peterson award for her breathtaking simplicity in capturing the beauty of nature. 2004 Sponsored Research Highlights

Cadigan, Kenneth AHA The Role of Direct Transciptional Repression by Wnt Signaling in Heart Development and Repair

Cadigan, Kenneth AHA Genetic and Biochemical Characterization of Tou, a Putative Chromatin Remodeling Factor Involved in Wnt Signaling

Duan, Cunming NSF Regulation of IGF action by 16F Binding Proteins in Fish

Denver, Robert NIH Hormone and Activity-Dependent Neural Gene Expression

Pichersky, Eran USDA Biosynthesis of Methylketones in Tomato Glands

Schiefelbein, John USDA Molecular Control of Root Hair Cell Specification 5 PostDoctoral Fellows Katherine Steinkraus (Klionsky) “Analysis of Genetic Components in Where are they now? the Cytoplasm to Vacuole Targeting Chen, Feng, Assistant Professor at Li, Yun, Associate Professor at Pathway and Autophagy in the University of Tennessee in Southwest Agricultural University in Saccaromyces cerevisiae.” Katherine Knoxville, TN. Chongqing, China. is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Division of Basic Sciences at the Crespi, Erica, Assistant Professor at Nakamoto, Hitoshi, Associate Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Professor at Saitama University in Center. Saitama, Japan. Fridman, Eyal, Lecturer at the Ashwini Joglekar (Hay) Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Shintani, Takahiro, Associate “Characterization of Structure and Rehovot, Israel. Professor at Tohoku University in Function of a Mammalian ER/Golgi Sendai, Japan. SNARE complex.” Ashwini is Guan, Ju, Research Scientist at the currently an associate licensing University of Tennessee in Knoxville, manager at the Intellectual Property TN. Office of the Children’s Hospital in .

PhD Degrees Granted Peng Peng (Li) “Functional Hua Lin (Cadigan) “Molecular and Aaron Wyman (Yocum) “Analysis of Investigation of the Role of a Plant Genetic Mechanisms Underlying the Heat Stability, Folding Dynamics, GSK3 Kinase (BIN2) in WinglessSignal Transduction and and Structure of the Manganese Brassinosteroid Signaling Pathway.” Signaling Dependent Cell Fate Stabilizing Protein of Photosystem Peng is currently working in Steven Determination.” Hua is currently a II.” Aaron is currently an assistant Jacobsen’s lab as a postdoctoral postdoctoral fellow at Columbia professor in the Chemistry research associate at UCLA, University. Department at Wabash College in Department of MCDB. Crawfordville, IN, teaching organic Qin Li (Kuwada) “Functional chemistry and biochemistry. Kaustuv Datta (Maddock) Analysis of Chemokine Signaling in “Characterization of Mtg2p, a Zebrafish Development.” Qin is Dalu Xu (Hay) “Reconstitution of Mitochondrial Ribosome Associated currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Homotypic COPII Vesicle Fusion to GTP-binding protein.” Kaustuv will lab of Doug Black, an Associate Generate a Pre-Golgi Intermediate be moving to a postdoctoral fellow Investigator of the Howard Hughes Compartment.” Dalu is currently a Institute and Associate Professor of postdoctoral fellow at the Goethe the Dept. of Microbiology and University medical school. Molecular at UCLA. Haruki Hasegawa (Hay) “Molecular Brody DeYoung (Clark) “Genetic mechanism that regulates solubility, and Biochemical Characterization of subcellular localization, and SNARE BAM1 and BAM2, Regulators of assembly activity of neuronal SNARE Multiple Aspects of Development in ykt6.” Haruki is currently a Arabidopsis Thaliana.” Brody is a postdoctoral fellow at NIH in currently a postdoctoral fellow with Rockville, MD. Roger Innes at Indiana University studying disease resistance in plants. PhD Degrees continued on page seven 6 PhD Degrees Granted continued NAC.” Christopher will be moving to DsbB Holoenzyme.” James is position in the lab of Larry Gerace a postdoctoral fellow position at UC currently a postdoctoral fellow with at the Scripps Research Institute in Davis in the lab of Professor Mitch Darren Higgins at the Department La Jolla, CA. Singer, working on developmental of Microbiology and of Myxococcus xanthus. Genetics at Harvard Medical School. Christopher Rosario (Bender) “Multiple Modes of Regulation by James Regeimbal, Jr. (Bardwell) the LysR-type the LysR-type Protein, “Investigating the Mechanism of the

2004 Undergraduate Honors Recipients

Honors in Cell and Honors in Biology Molecular Biology High Honors Highest Honors II Transmembrane Serine Protease, in Margaret M. Hopeman, Strain Janna Hutz, The Mouse Prostate Cancer. Distribution of LOS Genes in adrenocortical dysplasia (acd) Mutant Brandon Stone, Vascularization and Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. is caused by a Splicing Cell Proliferation of the Pituitary Megan H. Shilts, Flat Oysters Defect in a Ubiquitously Expressed Gland during Development. (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Ostreinae) Show Novel Gene. Stephen A. VanHaerents, C- Evidence of Allopatric Speciation, an terminal Regulation of the Redox- Evolutionarily Rapid Ecological High Honors regulated Chaperone Hsp33. Transition and Introgression among Nisha Duggal, The Role of CRE Joshua W. Ziel, Characterization of Developmentally Heterogeneous and C/EBP Sites in the Regulation Villin Expression in the Mouse Taxa. of ATF3 by GH. Stomach: Villin Marks a Pool of Early Lyssa A. M. Sperlich, Myotis Amanda Elliott, A Study of Tumor Progenitor Cells. septentrionalis (Northern Long-Eared Identification, Angiogenesis and Bats) Outperform Myotis lucifugus Cytokine Involvement. Honors (Little Brown Bats) in a Flight-cage Emily Fox, Mechanisms of Casey D. Curtis, Plant Species Foraging Experiment. Leukemic Transformation by MLL- Diversity Enhances the Fungal CALM: Identification of a CALM- Biomass and Activity in an Honors derived Transcriptional Regulatory Experimental Grassland. Jonathan Egle, Drosophila melanogaster Domain. Richard G. Everson, The Modulation as a Model for Stress Response: Drugs Andrea Hunt, Genetic Mapping of of Zebrafish Development and of Abuse and Oxidative Stress. a Novel Gene Resulting in Skeletal Retinogenesis by the Novel Growth Emily V. Moran, A Revision of the Dysplasia and Male Infertility. Factor Progranulin. Genus Erato (Asteraceae: Liabeae). Rosalyn E. Maben, Consumption Yael Holoschitz, Glucocorticoid Kevin I. Rosenberg, Does the Pitx2 of Phenolic Compounds Causes Regulation of Dopamine Activity in Transcription Factor Regulate Wnt Oxidative Stress in the Midgut Tissues the Periventricular Nucleus of the Signaling during Eye Development? of Malacosoma. Hypothalamus. Karl A. Merrick , Development of Kevin M. Kapadia, RNA Pol II and the Biological Tools Necessary to RNA Pol III-driven Promoter Detect Protein-Protein Interactions in Elements in Neighboring Genes. the Rho Family by FRET/FLI. Gerald Tomasek, Characterization of Shilpa S. Murthy, Transcriptional Atg6 and Atg3: Two Proteins Required Regulation and Functional for the Proper Functioning of Characterization of Hepsin, a Type Autophagy in Arabidopsis thaliana. 7 2004 Honor Roll of Donors Dr. Nelda E. Alger Peter L. Jolivette Michael Bush, M.D. Mrs. Nancy H. Krohn We also wish to Mr. Henry W. Bailey J. Jay & Charlotte W. Myers acknowledge our Janice E. Berry Dr. William G. Nash anonymous donors and Laird Bloom Mr. Patrick H. O'Leary those of you who Dr. Gary J. Burin Maria E. Pleskacz, M.D. contribute to our Miss Marie L. Caspe Dr. Dorothy E. Pumo endeavors through the Mrs. Gail H. Cohen Dr. George H. Reazin, Jr. University’s Telefund and Paul Connell Dr. Terry Lane Sharik other campaigns. Our Deborah M. Eldridge, M.D. Nancy Foster Smith apologies to anyone we Dr. Catherine Delaney Freiman Dorothy C. Symons may have inadvertently Loren S. Funt, M.D. Dr. Robert L. Tar omitted from Mr. Scott Funt Mrs. Florence S. Wagner this list. Michael William Henry Mrs. Sandra Smith Westrin Mrs. Mary Ellen Heyde Dr. James A. Winsor

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The MCDB News is published by: Copyright 2005 by the Regents The Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology of the University of Michigan: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048. David A. Brandon, Laurence B. Deitch, Olivia P. Maynard, Chair: Richard Hume Rebecca McGowan, Andrea Fischer Newman, Andrew C. Editor: Gloria Salmon Richner, S. Martin Taylor, Layout: Jocelyn Anderson Katherine E. White, Mary Sue Photography: David Bay Coleman, ex officio.