報告題目：Genetic dissection of synapse form and function

報  告 人：Dr. Kate O'Connor-Giles

Assistant Professor of Genetics & Cell and Molecular Biology

University of Wisconsin-Madison

報告時間♘：6月1日（星期三） 9:30

報告地點：閔行校區生物藥學樓2-116會議室

聯  系 人🏋🏿‍♂️：袁政, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

報告人研究方向/Research interest：

Nervous system function depends on neural circuits – the functionally connected neurons that give rise to thought and behavior. Neural circuit function in turn depends on precise synaptic transmission between component neurons. My lab is focused on identifying and characterizing the molecules and mechanisms underlying the formation and function of synapses. We conduct our studies primarily in Drosophila, where we employ the rich array of genetic tools and a well-characterized model synapse that is accessible to imaging, physiological, and behavioral studies. Because of the remarkable conservation of synaptic genes, we can make generalizable insights that shape our understanding of how the nervous system achieves remarkable reliability while simultaneously maintaining the lifelong ability to modify itself in response to environmental cues. In parallel, we have focused on developing new genome engineering tools to overcome barriers to the study of synapses in vivo.

Selected Publications

1)Ukken, F.P., Bruckner, J.J., Weir, K.L., Hope, S.J., Sison, S.L., Birschbach, R.M., Hicks, L., Taylor, K.L., Dent, E.W., Gonsalvez, G.B. and O’Connor-Giles, K.M. (2016). BAR-SH3 sorting nexins are conserved interacting proteins of Nervous wreck that organize synapses and promote neurotransmission. Journal of cell science 129, 166-177.

2)Akbari, B. O., Bellen, H. J., Bier, E., Bullock, S. L., Burt, A., Church, G. M., Cook, K. R., Duchek, P., Edwards, O. R., Esvelt, K. M., Gantz, V. M., Golic, K. G., Gratz, S. J., Harrison, M. M., Hayes, K. R., James, A. A., Kaufman, T. C., Knoblich, J., Malik, H. S., Matthews, K. A., O'Connor-Giles, K. M., Parks, A. L., Perrimon, N., Port, R., Russell, S., Ueda, R., and Wildonger, J. (2015). Safeguarding gene drive experiments in the laboratory. Science 349, 927-929.

3)Harrison, M.M., Jenkins, B.V., O'Connor-Giles, K.M., and Wildonger, J. (2014). A CRISPR view of development. Genes & development 28, 1859-1872.

Gratz, S.J*., Ukken, F.P*., Rubinstein, C.D., Thiede, G., Donohue, L.K., Cummings, A.M., and O'Connor-Giles, K.M. (2014). Highly Specific and Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-Catalyzed Homology-Directed Repair in Drosophila. Genetics 196, 961-971. *These authors contributed equally.

Gratz, S.J., Cummings, A.M., Nguyen, J.N., Hamm, D.C., Donohue, L.K., Harrison, M.M., Wildonger, J., and O'Connor-Giles, K.M. (2013a). Genome engineering of Drosophila with the CRISPR RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease. Genetics 194, 1029-1035.

Bruckner, J*., Gratz, S*., Slind, J., Geske, R., Cummings, A., Galindo, S., Donohue, L. and O’Connor-Giles, K. (2012) Fife, a Drosophila Piccolo-RIM homolog, promotes active zone organization and neurotransmitter release. J Neuorsci. 32(48), 17048-58.*These authors contributed equally.