Charles Bradley Shuster

Department of Biology
New Mexico State University
PO Box 30001 MSC 3AF
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001
Phone: (505) 646-1325
e-mail: cshuster@nmsu.edu
More info: Lab web page

Ph.D Tufts University
Post-Doc: University of Pittsburgh
Research Assistant Professor: Boston College
Research Interests: Regulation of mitosis and cytokinesis, Role of the cytoskeleton during early development

Research Interests

My research interests focus on cell cycle regulation of the cytoskeleton during cell division and early development. In particular, I am focused on understanding the spatial and temporal regulation of cytokinesis, the final phase of cell division. Successful timing and execution of cytokinesis is an absolute requirement for the maintenance of chromosomal ploidy and thus proper development and survival of the organism. And while great progress has been made into our understanding of cell cycle regulation and mitotic spindle assembly, we still know little regarding how cells coordinate sister chromatid segregation (nuclear division) with cytokinesis (cytoplasmic division). Toward these ends, I have undertaken a multidisciplinary approach that uses molecular, biochemical, and live cell analyses to examine contractile ring formation in cultured cells as well as sea urchin early embryo.
Cells contain molecular gatekeepers or checkpoints that halt cell cycle progression in response to DNA damage or improper mitotic spindle assembly, and recent data suggest that the mitotic spindle checkpoint also regulates cytokinesis. However, it is unclear in animal cells whether the initiation of cytokinesis is directly under checkpoint control, or whether cytokinesis simply occurs by default once the cell initiates the exit from mitosis. Current efforts are focused on identifying sea urchin homologues of a pathway identified in fission yeast that controls the initiation of cytokinesis, and is responsive to the spindle checkpoint.

Publications:

Siamakpour-Reihani, S., T.A. Peterson, H.J. Argiros, L.L. Haas, D.L. Johnson, C.B. Shuster, and B.A. Lyons. The cell migration protein Grb7 associates with the cell migration protein Hax-1 through its central RA and PH domains. Manuscript Submitted.

Siamakpour-Reihani, S., H.J. Argiros, L.J. Weber, L.L. Haas, T.A. Peterson, D.L. Johnson, C.B. Shuster, and B.A. Lyons. 2008. The cell migration protein Grb7 associates with the transcriptional regulator Fhl2 in a Grb7 phosphorylation-dependent manner. Journal of Molecular Recognition. In Press.

George, O., BJ Bryant, R. Chainnasamy, C. Corona, J. Arterburn and C.B. Shuster. 2008. Bisphenol A directly targets tubulin to disrupt spindle organization in embryonic and somatic cells. ACS-Chemical Biology. 3: 167-179.

Preszler, R.W., A. Dawe, C.B. Shuster and M. Shuster. 2007. Assessment of the effects of student response systems on student learning and attitudes over a broad range of biology courses. Cell Biology Education-Life Sciences CBE-Life Sciences Education. 6: 29-41.

George, O., M. Johnston, and C.B. Shuster. 2006. Aurora B kinase maintains chromatin condensation between meiotic divisions in surf clam oocytes. Cell Cycle. 5: 2648-2656.

A.J. Lucero, C. Stack, A.R. Bresnick, C.B. Shuster. 2006. A global, MLCK-dependent increase in myosin II contractility accompanies the metaphase-anaphase transition in sea urchin eggs. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 17: 4093-4104.

Stack, C., A.J. Lucero, and C.B. Shuster. 2006. Calcium-responsive contractility during fertilization in sea urchin eggs. Developmental Dynamics. 235:1042-1052.

Shuster, C.B., and D.R. Burgess. 2002a. Targeted new membrane addition in the cleavage furrow is a late, separate event in cytokinesis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 99: 3633-3638.

Shuster, C.B., and D.R. Burgess. 2002b. Transitions regulating the timing of cytokinesis in embryonic cells. Current Biology. 12: 854-858.

Shuster, C.B. and D.R. Burgess. 1999. Parameters that specify the timing of cytokinesis. Journal of Cell Biology 146: 981-992.

Shuster, C.B. and I.M. Herman. 1998. The mechanics of vascular cell motility. Microcirculation. 5: 239-57.

Walker, G.R., C. B. Shuster, and D.R. Burgess. 1997. Microtubule-entrained kinase activities associated with the cortical cytoskeleton during cytokinesis. Journal of Cell Science. 110:1373-1386.

Shuster, C.B., A.Y. Lin, R. Nayak, and I.M. Herman. 1996. bcap73: a novel bactin- specific binding protein. Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton. 35:175-187.

Allen, P.G., C.B. Shuster, J. Kas, C. Chaponnier, P.A. Janmey, and I.M. Herman. 1996. Phalloidin binding and rheological differences among actin isoforms. Biochemistry. 35: 14062-14069.

Shuster, C. B. and I. M. Herman. 1995. Ezrin interactions with F-actin: isoform specificity and calcium sensitivity. Journal of Cell Biology. 128: 837-848.

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