AIMRC Seminar to Explore Link Between Mitochondrial Positioning and Gene Expression
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center (AIMRC) will host Brian Cunniff,assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine,for a seminar at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17, in BELL 2267. Cunniff will present research detailing how the location of mitochondria within cells influences gene-expression patterns.
His seminar will focus on the role of Miro1, a protein essential for attaching mitochondria to microtubule motor proteins, which facilitate cellular transport. Research conducted by Cunniff’s lab demonstrates that the absence of Miro1 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) causes mitochondria to cluster in the perinuclear space, disrupting signaling pathways. These Miro1-/- MEFs exhibit slower growth, reduced migration, and cell cycle defects compared to those with functional Miro1.
The first RNA sequencing experiment conducted by Cunniff’s lab dependent on Miro1 expression revealed altered gene expression related to MAP Kinase signaling, cell proliferation, and migration.Specifically, the research indicates elevated and altered temporal phosphorylation of ERK1/2 following serum stimulation in Miro1-/- MEFs, alongside increased ERK1/2 oxidation.
Cunniff earned his Ph.D. from the University of Vermont under Nicholas Heintz and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Utah with Janet Shaw and Harvard Medical School with Tom Kirchhausen. He joined the University of Vermont in 2017 and currently directs an industry-funded research program developing a redox-dependent therapy for malignant mesothelioma, currently in phase 2 clinical trials. His lab is also supported by NIH funding to investigate mitochondrial structure, function, and trafficking in relation to cell signaling.
The seminar is supported by NIGMS of the national Institutes of Health under award number P20GM139768.
Individuals interested in attending remotely can access the seminar via Zoom at https://uark.zoom.us/j/83122717800?pwd=pRUkfxV5IcVioLehrYoxiteuO0jaap.1.
For further information, contact kimberley Fuller at fullerk@uark.edu.
