Amanda Charlesworth, Ph.D. - Faculty - Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences


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Amanda Charlesworth, Ph.D.
Title Research Assistant Professor PhD University College, London (1996). Post Doctoral Training Bristol Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, and University of Chicago, Department of Medicine Major Interests Molecular mechanisms behind developmental processes Research Interests I am interested in the molecular changes that drive developmental processes. In particular I am interested in molecular changes in the developing central nervous system, and in gene expression mechanisms in meiosis and early development. In the CTN I am investigating the molecular mechanisms that control the developmental decrease in REM sleep. The reticular activating system is thought to regulate REM sleep but it is not known how. In collaboration with other CTN members, I have been investigating the hypothesis that neurons in the reticular activating system are electrically coupled via gap junctions. We have found that the neuronal gap junction protein, connexin-36, is expressed in the SubCoeruleus nucleus of the reticular activating system. Additionally, connexin-36 levels decrease during development, a decrease that mirrors the decrease in REM sleep. The mechanisms behind the decrease in expression of connexin-36 are being investigated. Meiotic maturation of Xenopus oocytes requires precise temporal co-ordination of the synthesis of crucial cell cycle proteins. We have found that the mRNAs of these proteins contain specific combinations of distinct cis elements that dictate when and to what extent an mRNA is translated. Recently we showed that the neural stem cell factor Musashi regulates mRNA translation early during meiotic maturation. We have also identified novel cis elements and trans-acting factors that regulate gene expression and protein synthesis. Future studies will further characterize the role of cis elements and RNA-binding proteins in early development. This work has implications for developmental biology, cancer biology and neurobiology. Email: acharlesworth@uams.edu Address: BMII Bldg, Rm 601-2, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St, Little Rock AR 72205. Phone: 501-686-5143 Fax: 501-526-7928

Selected Publications

1. Heister, D.S., Hayar, A., Charlesworth, A., Yates, C., Zhou, Y-H., Garcia-Rill, E. Evidence for electrical coupling in the SubCoeruleus (SubC) nucleus. (2007) J. Neurophys. In press.

2. Charlesworth, A., Wilczynska, A., Thampi, P., Cox, L.L. and MacNicol, A.M. Musashi regulates the temporal order of mRNA translation during

Xenopus oocyte maturation. (2006) EMBO J. 25: 2792-2801

3. Charlesworth A., Cox L. L. and MacNicol A.M. Cytoplasmic Polyadenylation Element (CPE)- and CPE-binding Protein (CPEB)-independent Mechanisms

Regulate Early Class Maternal mRNA Translational Activation in Xenopusm Oocytes. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279: 17650-17659

4. Charlesworth A., Ridge J.A., King L.A., MacNicol M.C. and MacNicol A.M. MAP kinase signalling and the temporal control of Mos mRNA translation. (2002) EMBO J. 21: 2798-2806.

5. Charlesworth A., Welk J. and MacNicol A.M. (2000). The temporal control of Wee1 mRNA translation during Xenopus oocyte maturation is regulated by cytoplasmic polyadenylation elements within the 3ą untranslated region. Dev. Bio. 227: 706-719.

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