References:
- Shaner L, Wegele H, Buchner J, and Morano KA (2005) The yeast Hsp110 Sse1 functionally interacts with the Hsp70 chaperones Ssa and Ssb. J Biol Chem, 280, 41262-41269.
- Trott A, Shaner L, and Morano KA (2005) The molecular chaperone Sse1 and the growth control protein kinase Sch9 collaborate to regulate protein kinase A activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics, 170:1009-1021.
- Trott A and Morano KA (2004) SYM1 is the stress-induced Saccharomyces cerevisiae ortholog of the mammalian kidney disease gene Mpv17 and is required for ethanol metabolism and tolerance during heat shock. Euk Cell, 3: 620-631.
- Shaner L, Trott A, Goeckeler JL, Brodsky, JL, and Morano KA (2004) The function of the yeast molecular chaperone Sse1 is mechanistically distinct from the closely related hsp70 family. J Biol Chem 279: 21992-22001.
- Trott A and Morano KA (2002) The yeast heat shock response, in Yeast Stress Responses, eds. Stefan Hohmann and Willem Mager. Springer-Verlag: Heidelberg, pp. 71-119.
Kevin A. Morano, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
UTHSC, Medical School, (713) 500 - 5890
Kevin.A.Morano@uth.tmc.edu
Protein chaperones and the heat shock response in yeast
The heat shock response is highly conserved in all kingdoms, making it one of the most ancient cellular regulatory systems. We have two primary interests, 1) how heat shock is sensed and transduced to yield a genome-wide transcriptional response, and 2) how protein chaperones, including the Hsp70, Hsp90 and the Hsp110 groups, function collaboratively within the cell during normal growth and during adaptation to environmental stress.
The baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is an ideal microbial model system in which to investigate these questions, due to its facile genetics, genomics and ease of manipulation. These studies will directly impact our understanding of how human cells respond to pathophysiological states such as cancer and anoxia which strongly induce a heat shock response. In addition, there is growing evidence that the amyloid diseases of protein misfolding, including prion-based maladies such as Creutzfelt-Jakob (mad cow), and other triplet-repeat type diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Hunginton's, are intimately linked to protein chaperone expression and function.
A tutorial in my laboratory would provide experience with yeast genetics, molecular biology of DNA, RNA and proteins, biochemistry, and genomes, including DNA microarray analysis of gene expression.
