Research:

To better understand the organization of the plasma membrane, I study two genes that appear to interact with the Drosophila homologue of the Neurofibromatosis type II gene called Merlin; the Merlin protein is one of a large family of membrane organizing/cytoplasmic proteins. One gene corresponds to the previously identified blistered locus, which encodes the Drosophila homologue of the serum response factor (DSRF), and the other gene, Group IIa, is novel, and has be en mapped to the cytological region 55CI-2 on the right arm of the second chromosome. In addition, I have developed two potentially powerful tools to evaluate general membrane dynamics: one is a GFP exon/enhancer trap system, and the other (in collaboration with Dr. Amy Adamson) utilizes viral genes to perturb membrane organization.

Recent Publications:

McCartney, B.M., R.M. Kulikaukas, D.R. LaJeunesse and R.G. Fehon. in press. The neurofibromatosis-2 homologue Merlin and the Drosophila tumor suppressor expanded function together to regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. Development

LaJeunesse, D.R., B.M. McCartney and R.G. Fehon. 1998. A structural analysis of Drosophila Merlin reveals functional domains important for growth and subcellular localization. Journal of Cell Biology 141:1589-1599.

Fehon, R.G., T. Oren, D.R. LaJeunesse, T. Melby, and B.M. McCartney. 1997. Isolation of mutations in the Drosophila homologues of the human Neurofibromatosis-2 and yeast CDC42 genes using a simple and efficient reverse genetic method. Genetics 146:246-252.

Classes:

Principles of Biology I (BIO 111)
Developmental Biology (BIO 464)
Human Embryology (BIO 614)
Human Molecular Genetics (BIO 616)

Contact:

231 Eberhart Building
(336) 256-1071