Jeffrey A. Hadwiger, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Oklahoma State University e-mail address: hadwige@okstate.edu

Expression of G protein-GFP fusion in chemotactic cells

Research Interests:

Molecular mechanisms of signal transduction in cell migration and differentiation.

Approach:

Molecular genetic analysis of signal transduction pathways by identifying pathway components and the mechanisms by which these components are regulated.

Current Research:

Eukaryotic cells respond to a wide vanety of external signals that can regulate cellular growth, division, differentiation, migration, and function. Many of these signals are received by G protein coupled cell surface receptors which can generate internal signals known as second messengers. The goals of Dr. Hadwiger's research program are to identify the molecular components of G protein mediated signal transduction pathways and to elucidate how these components act together to transmit signals important for developmental processes such as cellular migration and differentiation. Dr. Hadwiger's laboratory is currently investigating signal transduction mechanisms that regulate the migration of mammalian and Dictyostelium cells. Understanding how leukocytes respond to multiple chemoattractants during immune responses is a new area of research being pursued in the laboratory. Other research efforts include the identification and characterization of new signal transduction components important for the migration and development of Dictyostelium, an important model system for mammalian cell migration.

Recent Publications:

Raisley, B., Zhang, M., Hereld, D., and J. A. Hadwiger (2004) A cAMP Receptor-like G Protein-coupled Receptor with Roles in Growth Regulation and Development. Developmental Biology 265:433-445.

Natarajan, K., Ashley, C. A., and J. A. Hadwiger (2000) Related Ga subunits play opposing roles during Dictyostelium development. Differentiation 66:136-146.

Srinivasan, J., R. E. Gundersen, and J. A. Hadwiger (1999) Activated Ga subunits can inhibit signal transduction pathways mediated by other Ga subunits in Dictyostelium. Developmental Biology 215:443-452.

Hadwiger, J. A., and J. Srinivasan (1999) Folic acid stimulation of the Ga4 G protein-mediated signal transduction pathway inhibits anterior prestalk cell development in Dictyostelium. Differentiation 64:195-204.

Hadwiger, J. A., K. Natarajan, R. A. Firtel (1996) Mutations in the Dictyostelium heterotrimeric G protein a subunit Ga5 alter the kinetics of tip morphogenesis. Development 122:1215-1224.

Hadwiger, J. A., S. Lee, and R. A. Firtel (1994) The Ga subunit Ga4 couples to pterin receptors and identifies a signaling pathway that is essential for multicellular development in Dictyostelium. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.USA 91:10566-10570.

Wu, L., C. Gaskins, R. Gundersen, J. Hadwiger, R. Johnson, G. Pitt, R. Firtel, and P.N. Devreotes (1993) Signal Transduction by G Proteins in Dictyostelium discoideum. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, 108/II: 335-349.

Powell, J. A., Schniztler, G. R., Hadwiger, J. A., Howard, P., Esch, R. K., Cubitt, A. B., Okaichi, K., Gaskins, C., Mann, S. K. O., and Firtel, R. A. (1993). Spatial and Temporal Regulation of Dictyostelium Development Through Signal Transduction Pathways. In "Evolutionary Conservation of Developmental Mechanisms", pp. 159-184. Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hadwiger, J. A. and R. A. Firtel (1992) Analysis of Ga4, a G-protein subunit required for multicellular development in Dictyostelium. Genes Dev. 6:38-49.

Cubitt, A. B., Carrel, F., Dharmawardhane, S., Gaskins, C., Hadwiger, J., Howard, P., Mann, S. K., Okaichi, K., Zhou, K., and R. A. Firtel (1992) Molecular genetic analysis of signal transduction pathways controlling multicellular development in Dictyostelium. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. Quant. Biol. 57:177-192.

Hadwiger, J. A., T. M. Wilkie, M. Strathmann, and R. A. Firtel (1991) Identification of Dictyostelium Ga genes expressed during multicellular development. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:8213-8217.

Kumagai, A., J. A. Hadwiger, M. Pupillo, and R. A. Firtel (1991) Molecular genetic analysis of two Ga protein subunits in Dicytostelium. J. Biol. Chem. 266:1220-1228.

 

Links to Course Materials: (links activated to only current courses)

CLML 4113 Advanced Cell and Molecular Biology

CLML 4253 Concepts in Medical Genetics

MICR 6323 Eukaryotic Signal Transduction and Gene Regulation

CLML 4273 Developmental Biology Lecture Outlines

CLML 3112 Cytology