DBBS

The long-term goal of our research is to understand the molecular basis of cell motility, including the role of motility in human disease, especially cancer. How do actin, microtubules and their motors control the shape and movement of cells? How are these elements of the cytoskeleton regulated by signals from the cell cycle machinery and from outside the cell? How is cell cycle progression regulated by checkpoints based on the cytoskeleton? We study these questions in vertebrates and yeast, using the strengths of each system. We utilize a variety of technical approaches encompassing genetics, biochemistry and cell biology. The major current focus of the lab is on actin assembly and membrane dynamics in animal cells. We are studying how actin-binding proteins regulated by signals from cancer-causing viruses and growth factors direct the polymerization of actin, which causes cells to move and change shape.

Stuchell-Brereton MD, Siglin A, Li J, Moore JK, Ahmed S, Williams JC & Cooper JA.  Functional interaction between dynein light chain and intermediate chain is required for mitotic spindle positioning. Mol. Biol. Cell. 2011 22(15): 2690-2701. PMCID: PMC3145545.
 
Galletta BJ, Mooren OL & Cooper JA.  Actin dynamics and endocytosis in yeast and mammals. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 2010 21(5): 604-610. PMCID: PMC2952672.
 
Moore JK, Chudalayandi P, Heil-Chapdelaine RA & Cooper JA.  The spindle position checkpoint is coordinated by the Elm1 kinase. J. Cell Biol. 2010 191(3): 493-503. PMCID: PMC3003319.
 
Kim T, Cooper JA & Sept D.  The Interaction of Capping Protein with the Barbed End of the Actin Filament. J. Mol. Biol. 2010 404(5): 794-802. PMCID: PMC2991585.
 
Hernandez-Valladares M, Kim T, Kannan B, Tung A, Aguda AH, Larsson M, Cooper JA & Robinson RC.  Structural characterization of a capping protein interaction motif defines a family of actin filament regulators. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2010 17(4): 497-503. PMCID: PMC3150215.
 
Pollard TD & Cooper JA.  Actin, a central player in cell shape and movement. Science 2009 326(5957): 1208-1212. PMID:19965462
 
Moore JK, Magidson V, Khodjakov A & Cooper JA.  The Spindle Position Checkpoint Requires Positional Feedback from Cytoplasmic Microtubules. Curr. Biol. 2009 192026-2030. PMCID: PMC2805762.
 
Butler B & Cooper JA.  Distinct Roles for the Actin Nucleators Arp2/3 and hDia1 during NK-Mediated Cytotoxicity. Curr. Biol. 2009 19(22): 1886-1896. PMCID: PMC2937835.
 
Liang Y, Niederstrasser H, Edwards M, Jackson CE & Cooper JA.  Distinct Roles for CARMIL Isoforms in Cell Migration. Mol. Biol. Cell. 2009 205290-5305. PMCID: PMC2793302.
 
Galletta BJ, Chuang DY & Cooper JA.  Distinct Roles for Arp2/3 Regulators in Actin Assembly and Endocytosis. PLoS Biol. 2008 6(1): e1. PMCID: PMC2156081.