Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
CBIS Microscopy and Imaging Core Coordinator

Education and Training

B.S. Biochemistry, Purdue University
M.S. Biochemistry, Purdue University
Ph.D. Cancer Biology, Stanford University
Postdoctoral training, University of California Berkeley

Contact

E-mail:paluhj@rpi.edu
Tel: (518) 276-4196

Office: Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies Rm. 1141

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 8th Street
Troy NY 12180

Research Interests

Cell cycle and the cytoskeleton. G2/M/G1 and asymmetry mechanisms in yeast. Microenvironment of human embryonic stem cells.

My research is directed at cell cycle signaling mechanisms in G2/M/G1 in both the model organism fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe and in human embryonic stem cells (huESCs).  In G1 of the cell cycle, eukaryotic cells either decide to cycle or alternatively, exit to either differentiate or become quiescent. Cycling is not a trivial decision but a tremendous commitment of resources that requires DNA replication and DNA condensation, centrosome duplication, control and correction of DNA damage, and assembly of a mitotic spindle to ensure equivalent chromosome segregation to new daughter cells. Mitosis must not initiate nor exit prematurely. In this regard, a complex array of internal signaling networks coordinates temporal and functional controls to maintain genomic fidelity. Key regulators include kinases, phosphatases, G-proteins, and checkpoint and ubiquitination complexes that operate on cytoskeletal components that include tubulins, centrosomes, kinetochores on chromosomes and dynamic microtubule associated motor proteins. Despite the bipolar symmetrical nature of the spindle, important asymmetric signals operate from poles that can be active within a given cell cycle or applied over successive cell cycles. In stem cells, the asymmetric localization of spindle pole components is known to be important to signaling pathways that maintain stem cell self-renewal versus directing differentiation.

My research strives to generate a comprehensive understanding of G2/M/G1 cell cycle mechanisms that will 1) clarify cellular strategies for maintaining genomic fidelity and 2) elucidate niche-mediated G2/M/G1 signaling pathways in hESCs. Both are critical to improved medical applications that will better human health and treat diseases.

Current projects investigate important aspects of the cell cycle:

• use of asymmetry mechanisms
• role of mitotic Kinesin-like proteins
• checkpoint control mechanisms
• bipolar spindle assembly
• mitotic exit
• microenvironment and niches

Selected Publications

Shih, P., Stromberg, M., Filopei, J. and J.L. Paluh (2007) Complexity in checkpoint protein Mad2: Mothers, daughters and relatives. In Recent Research Developments in Molecular Biology.  Invited review.

Rodriguez, A. S., Batac, J., Filopei, J., Killilea, A. N. and J.L. Paluh (2007) Negative Regulation of Spindle Assembly by Microtubule Organizing Center Complexes. Manuscript submitted to Cell Cycle Oct 2007.

Hawthorne, S., Patregnani, J., Mohan, K., Alford, L., Rodriguez, A. S. and J.L. Paluh (2007) An essential chromatin-binding kinesin-like protein in fission yeast combines functions of Kinesin-4, Kinesin-6 and Kinesin-10 families. Manuscript in preparation.

Mayer, C.L., Filopei, J., Batac, J., Alford, L. and J.L. Paluh  (2006) An extended signaling pathway for Mad2p in anaphase includes microtubule organizing center proteins and multiple motor-dependent transitions. Cell Cycle. 5: 1456-1463.

Paluh, J.L., Killilea, A. N., Detrich III, W., and K. Downing (2004)  Meiosis-specific failure of cell cycle progression in fission yeast by mutation of a conserved b-tubulin residue. Mol. Biol Cell.  15: 1160-1171.

Paluh, J.L., Nogales, E., Oakley, B.R., McDonald, K., Pidoux, A.L., and W. Z. Cande (2000) A mutation in g-tubulin alters microtubule dynamics and organization and is synthetically lethal with the Klp Pkl1p. Mol. Biol. Cell 11: 1225-1239.

Paluh, J.L. and D.A. Clayton (1996) A dominant mutation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe RNase MRP RNA, mrp1-ND90, affects RNA processing and requires the nuclear mutation ptp1-1 for viablility. EMBO J. 15, 4723-4733.

Paluh, J.L. and D.A. Clayton (1996) Mutational analysis of the gene for Schizosaccharomyces pombe RNase MRP RNA, mrp1, using plasmid shuffle by counterselection on canavanine. Yeast 12, 1393-1405.

Paluh, J.L. and D.A. Clayton (1995) Schizosaccharomyces pombe RNase MRP RNA is homologous to metazoan RNase MRP RNAs and may provide clues to interrelationships between RNase MRP and RNase P. Yeast 11, 1249-1264.

Paluh, J.L. and C. Yanofsky (1991) Characterization of Neurospora CPC1, a bZIP DNA-binding protein that does not require aligned heptad leucines for dimerization. Mol. Cell Biol. 11, 935-944.