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Wayne P. Wahls, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Ph.D., University of Illinois, Chicago

Chromosome Dynamics in Meiosis; Combinatorial bZIP Dimers and Cellular Growth Control

During meiosis, homologous chromosomes replicate once, pair, enjoy a high rate of recombination, and undergo two rounds of chromosome segregation to produce haploid meiotic products.  We use a combination of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and cytological approaches to study meiotic chromosome dynamics in fission yeast.  One focus is on how recombination hotspots and chromatin remodeling regulate recombination throughout the genome.  We are also investigating how complexes of meiotic recombination enzymes assemble and function.  A third focus is on the relationship between recombination, sister chromatid cohesion, and proper segregation of chromosomes in each meiotic division.

Proteins of the ATF/CREB/AP-1 family are components of signal transduction pathways that monitor intracellular and extracellular conditions and transmit those signals to downstream targets.  These proteins share a conserved bZIP domain that mediates both protein dimerization and sequence-specific DNA binding activity.  A systematic study of bZIP transcription factors of fission yeast is underway.  We are interested in how different dimers form, what sets of target genes they activate in response to different cellular stresses, and how upstream signal transduction events regulate the process.

Selected Publications

Sharif, W.D., G.G. Glick, M.K. Davidson, and W.P. Wahls (2002).  Distinct functions of S. pombe Rec12 (Spo11) protein and Rec12-dependent crossover recombination (chiasmata) in meiosis I; and a requirement for Rec12 in meiosis II.  Cell Chromosome. 1:1. [Abstract] [PDF Reprint] 

Davidson, M.K. H.K. Shandilya, K. Hirota, K. Ohta, and W.P. Wahls (2004).  Atf1-Pcr1-M26 complex links stress-activated MAPK and cAMP-dependent protein kinase pathways via chromatin remodeling of cgs2+.  J. Biol. Chem. 279:50857-50863.  [Abstract] [PDF Reprint] 

Wu, H., J. Gao, W.D. Sharif, M.K. Davidson, and W.P. Wahls (2004).  Purification, folding, and characterization of Rec12 (Spo11) meiotic recombinase of fission yeast.  Protein Expr Purif. 38:136-144.  [Abstract] [PDF Reprint] 

Davidson, M.K., N.P. Young, G.G. Glick, and W.P. Wahls (2004).  Meiotic chromosome segregation mutants identified by insertional mutagenesis of fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe; tandem-repeat, single-site integrations.  Nucleic Acids Res. 32:4400-4410.  [Abstract] [PDF Reprint] 

Yamada, T., K. Mizuno, K. Hirota, N. Kon, W.P. Wahls, E. Hartsuiker, H. Murofushi, T. Shibata, and K. Ohta (2004).  Roles of histone acetylation and chromatin remodeling factor in a meiotic recombination hotspot.  EMBO J. 23:1792-1803.  [Abstract] [PDF Reprint] 

DeWall, K.M., M.K. Davidson, W.D. Sharif, C.A. Wiley, and W.P. Wahls (2005).  A DNA binding motif of meiotic recombinase Rec12 (Spo11) defined by essential glycine-202, and persistence of Rec12 protein after completion of recombination.  Gene. 356:77-84.  [Abstract] [PDF Reprint]

PubMed link to additional publications 

   
E-mail: WahlsWayneP@UAMS.edu
Office (501) 686-5787  Biomedical Research Center 405F
Lab: (501) 686-7876  Biomedical Research Center 403/404
FAX: (501) 526-7008
 


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Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
4301 W. Markham St., Slot 516
Little Rock, AR 72205