|
Robert W.
Zeller Assistant Professor Ph.D. Developmental Biology, California Institute of Technology Cell and Molecular Doctoral Program Molecular Biology Master’s Program Computational Sciences Program Molecular Biology Institute Center for Applied and Experimental Genomics Co-Faculty Director, Microchemical Core Facility Email: rzeller(at)sciences.sdsu.edu Phone: 619-594-6458 |
|
|
Research
Interests |
My laboratory studies the development of the central and
peripheral nervous systems in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis.
Ascidians are invertebrate chordates that employ many shared
developmental mechanisms with vertebrates.
Ascidians are one of the best suited chordates for examining gene expression. Transgenic embryos are produced in about 30
minutes using a simple electroporation technique. Two ascidian genome sequences are available
so we also employ comparative genomics/bioinformatics techniques to study
gene regulation. Our laboratory takes
an integrated approach towards understanding developmental mechanisms by
combining cell and molecular techniques with classical experimental
embryology approaches. In particular,
we are interested in deciphering key developmental gene regulatory networks
that were important for chordate evolution.
Current research in the laboratory is centered on two main projects:
1) the evolution of the neural crest and 2) the development of the larval
peripheral nervous system (PNS). |
Neural crest cells are considered to be a vertebrate
innovation. Derivatives of the neural
crest include skin pigment cells and much of the skeletal and connective
features of the vertebrate skull.
Neural crest cells arise at the border of the neural and non-neural
ectoderm, express a characteristic set of regulatory genes, migrate and are
multipotent. Our hypothesis is that
neural crest cells arose in the last common chordate ancestor. We are therefore examining the properties
of candidate neural crest-like cell types in the ascidian embryo, such as the
pigment cells, to determine if they may be considered neural crest
cells. |
The peripheral nervous system of the ascidian embryo
consists of a series of epidermal sensory neurons located in the trunk and
tail of the larva. We are using a
variety of cell and molecular biology approaches to study the gene regulatory
networks that specify the larval PNS. |
|
Our laboratory has also developed a variety of tools, reagents and techniques for studying ascidian development including codon-optimized fluorescent protein genes, custom-built electroporators and detailed electroporation protocols. |
|
Our laboratory is funded by an NSF CAREER
Grant
|
|
Recent
References |
|
Zeller, R.W. and Virata, M.J. and Cone, A.C. (2006). Predictable mosaic transgene expression in
ascidian embryos using a simple electroporation device. In Press, Developmental Dynamics. Zeller, R.W., Weldon, D., Pellatiro, M. and Cone, A. C. (2006). Optimized GFP variants provide single cell
resolution of transgene expression in ascidian embryos. Developmental Dynamics 235(2):456-467. Cone, A.C. and Zeller,
R.W. (2005). Using Ascidian Embryos to Study the
Evolution of Developmental Gene Regulatory Networks. Canadian
Journal of Zoology 83(1): 75-89. Zeller, R.W. (2004). Generation and use of transgenic ascidian
embryos. Methods in Cell Biology 74: 713-730. Bower K.E., Zeller R.W., Wachsman W, |