报告题目：Genetic dissection of synapse form and function

报告时间：6月1日（星期三） 9:30

报告地点：闵行校区生物药学楼2-116会议室

报  告 人：Dr. Kate O'Connor-Giles

Assistant Professor of Genetics & Cell and Molecular Biology

University of Wisconsin-Madison, 227D Robert M. Bock Labs, 1525 Linden Drive

Madison, Wisconsin 53706

报告人研究方向：

Web link: http://oconnorgiles.molbio.wisc.edu/

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

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.

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.

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.