Dr. Weinmaster's working hypothesis is that genes like Drosophila Notch, mediate a subset of cell-cell interactions that help specify cell fate.
The specific aims are designed to provide information required to reveal the role that Notch genes play during mammalian development. Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques she will determine the cell types and the developmental processes in which these two closely related genes are expressed. Information provided by these studies will identify candidate cell-cell interactions mediated by the Notch genes, which could potentially be used as cell culture systems to measure Notch activity. The question of whether Notch mediates cell-cell interactions will be studied using neuron-Schwann cell cocultures. If Notch mediates interactions between neurons and Schwann cells then genetically engineered Notch-minus Schwann cells will be unable to respond to neuronal contact. Constitutive expression of Notch in transfected C2C12 myoblasts prevents myotube formation, providing a convenient """"""""read-out"""""""" of Notch activity. Dr. Weinmaster will use this assay to determine the structural motifs of Notch that are required to inhibit myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells and thereby begin to investigate the mechanisms of Notch function. An important complement to these cell culture experiments would be the isolation of ligands for Notch. Cells expressing either Notch or its ligand could then be cocultured and the downstream effects of cell-cell interactions, mediated through Notch, would be monitored to determine the events required for Notch- signal transduction. The ultimate goal of this work is to define the function and mode of action of Notch1 and Notch2 in mammalian cells during normal development.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01NS031885-01
Application #
2269833
Study Section
Cellular Biology and Physiology Subcommittee 1 (CBY)
Project Start
1994-01-01
Project End
1997-12-31
Budget Start
1994-01-01
Budget End
1994-12-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
119132785
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
D'Souza, Brendan; Meloty-Kapella, Laurence; Weinmaster, Gerry (2010) Canonical and non-canonical Notch ligands. Curr Top Dev Biol 92:73-129
Bozkulak, Esra Cagavi; Weinmaster, Gerry (2009) Selective use of ADAM10 and ADAM17 in activation of Notch1 signaling. Mol Cell Biol 29:5679-95
Nichols, James T; Miyamoto, Alison; Weinmaster, Gerry (2007) Notch signaling--constantly on the move. Traffic 8:959-69
Nichols, James T; Miyamoto, Alison; Olsen, Samantha L et al. (2007) DSL ligand endocytosis physically dissociates Notch1 heterodimers before activating proteolysis can occur. J Cell Biol 176:445-58
Miyamoto, Alison; Lau, Rhiana; Hein, Patrick W et al. (2006) Microfibrillar proteins MAGP-1 and MAGP-2 induce Notch1 extracellular domain dissociation and receptor activation. J Biol Chem 281:10089-97
Yang, Liang-Tung; Nichols, James T; Yao, Christine et al. (2005) Fringe glycosyltransferases differentially modulate Notch1 proteolysis induced by Delta1 and Jagged1. Mol Biol Cell 16:927-42
Nehring, Leslie C; Miyamoto, Alison; Hein, Patrick W et al. (2005) The extracellular matrix protein MAGP-2 interacts with Jagged1 and induces its shedding from the cell surface. J Biol Chem 280:20349-55
Ladi, Ena; Nichols, James T; Ge, Weihong et al. (2005) The divergent DSL ligand Dll3 does not activate Notch signaling but cell autonomously attenuates signaling induced by other DSL ligands. J Cell Biol 170:983-92
Hicks, Carol; Ladi, Ena; Lindsell, Claire et al. (2002) A secreted Delta1-Fc fusion protein functions both as an activator and inhibitor of Notch1 signaling. J Neurosci Res 68:655-67
Zhang, J; Chen, H; Weinmaster, G et al. (2001) Epstein-Barr virus BamHi-a rightward transcript-encoded RPMS protein interacts with the CBF1-associated corepressor CIR to negatively regulate the activity of EBNA2 and NotchIC. J Virol 75:2946-56

Showing the most recent 10 out of 20 publications