| Name: |
| Bruce L. Miller |
| Title: |
| Professor |
| Degree: |
| Ph.D., 1981, University of California, Davis |
| Phone: |
| (208) 885-7247 |
| Fax: |
| (208) 885-6518 |
| Email: |
| bmiller@uidaho.edu |
| Lab/Office Location: |
| Gibb Hall, Room 137 |
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| Aspergillus_WT-1 |
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| wt_cleisto |
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| Research Interests: |
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My research program focuses upon the reproductive biology of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. This organism,
along with Neurospora crassa and the budding and fission yeasts, has long been an important model organism used in classical
genetic analysis. This organism has provided many firsts in our understanding of genetic regulatory mechanisms and the regulation of
cell polarity and cell cycle. A. nidulans was selected many years ago by Pontecorvo (1953) as a useful model organism to
study multicellular development. The asexual (mitotic) reproductive cycle involves the formation of a number of differentiated cell
types. Successful formation of multicellular reproductive structures and spores (conidia) requires the establishment of
spatiotemporal gradients in essential transcriptional regulators. Altered gene expression is coordinated with critical changes in
the movement of nuclei and the regulation of the cell division cycle.
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The asexual and sexual (meiotic) reproductive cycles are tightly coordinated during the life cycle of A. nidulans.
Developmental regulatory genes being investigated in my laboratory have critical roles in both reproductive processes. Sexual
reproduction is more complex, requiring the differentiation of several specialized tissue types. One of these tissues, the
dikaryotic hyphae, gives rise to cells in which karyogamy and meiosis occur. These events have been described by some prominent
yeast geneticists as functionally related to the formation of a zygote, followed by gametogenesis. In A. nidulans, as in other
eucaryotes, the induction of reproductive development involves the transduction of environmental signals to transcriptional
regulators that elicit changes in gene expression. In addition to studying the functions of important transcriptional regulators,
projects in the lab include molecular analysis of components of a MAP Kinase (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signal transduction
pathway that mediates sexual reproduction. Signal transduction and the role of self, non-self recognition have been intensively
studied in other fungi. However, these have all been heterothallic fungi, or those with different mating cell types. Unlike these
organisms, A. nidulans is homothallic and the role of self, non-self recognition to initiate development is problematic.
Therefore, we expect to find novel mechanisms that trigger development in this important class of fungi. Finally, another area we
are also investigating the function of a novel protein that we have identified. This protein is conserved throughout all eucaryotes
and to date, null mutants are lethal in A. nidulans, budding yeast and C. elegans. Based upon localization studies and upon
genetic and phenotypic analysis, this large protein may play a role that links developmental signal transduction, the endomembrane
system and establishment of cll polarity. Experimental approaches include classical genetic analysis, DNA-mediated transformation
and gene transplacement. Gene fusions and specific antibodies are used to study spatiotemporal gene expression and to determine
cellular and sub cellular location of gene products. Experimental organisms currently include A. nidulans and budding yeast.
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| Selected Publications: |
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Pascon, R.C., Pizzirani-Kleiner, A.A. and Miller, B.L. (2001) The Aspergillus nidulans bncA1 mutation causes defects in the cell division cycle, nuclear movement and developmental morphogenesis. Molecular and General Genetics 264: 546-554.
Pascon, R.C. and Miller, B.L. (2000) Morphogenesis in Aspergillus nidulans requires Dopey (DopA), a member of a novel family of leucine zipper-like proteins conserved from yeast to humans. Molecular Microbiology 36:1250-1264.
Vallim, M., Miller, K.Y. and Miller B.L. (2000) Aspergillus SteA (Sterile12-like) is a novel homeodomain/C2/H2- Zn+2 finger transcription factor required for sexual reproduction. Molecular Microbiology 36: 290-301.
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