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New Mexico State University


Charles Shuster
charles shuster

Charles (Brad) Shuster


Title: Associate Professor
Research area: Regulation of mitosis and cytokinesis, Role of the cytoskeleton during early development
Office location: FH 463
Laboratory Location: FH 430
Email Address: cshuster@nmsu.edu
Office Phone: 575-646-1325
Lab Webpage: http://biology-web.nmsu.edu/shuster-lab/Index.html


Education:
  • Research Assistant Professor: Boston College
  • Post-Doc: University of Pittsburgh
  • Ph.D Tufts University

Research Interests:
My research interests focus on cell cycle regulation of the cytoskeleton during early development. More specifically, we are interested in understanding how cytokinesis is regulated in space and time. 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 cleavage plane determination in the sea urchin early embryo. Echinoderm embryos have been used for over a century to study cell division, and physical malleability of sea urchin and sand dollar eggs eggs allow us to manipulate the geometrical relationship between mitotic spindle and the cell surface in a manner that is difficult to replicate in any other model system.

Another area of interest is focused on understanding the function of mammalian homologs of the Mitotic Exit Network (MEN), which coordinates mitosis and cytokinesis in yeast. Although orthologs of the individual MEN components have been identified in animal cells, data from both Drosophila and mammalian cells suggest that this network (termed the Salvador-Warts-Hippo pathway) appears to function by limiting cell proliferation in response to cell-cell contact. We are actively studying the mitotic roles for one component of the network (Mob1), as well as a potential role for the SWH pathway in mediating cell cycle arrest following mitotic failure.

A third area of investigation focuses on generating novel small molecule probes for studying the cytoskeleton and cell division. In collaboration with Jeff Arterburn’s lab in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at NMSU, we have been using the tools of synthetic organic chemistry and cell biology to generate probes to study the actions of Bisphenol A on microtubules as well as develop novel probes to study spindle bipolarity in both mammalian- and nonmammalian model systems.

Selected Publications:
  • Shrestha, S., L.J. Wilmeth, J. Eyer, and C.B. Shuster. 2012. PRC1 controls polarization and the differential recruitment of cytokinetic factors during monopolar cytokinesis. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 23:7 1196-1207.
  • Rodriguez, D., R. Chinnasamy, L. Wilmeth, Bj K. Bryant, S. Kadavakollu, R. Hirsch, J. Montoya, J. George, D. Alexander, J.B. Arterburn and C.B. Shuster. 2011. Synthesis and characterization of tritythioethanamine derivatives with potent KSP inhibitory activity in vitro and in vivo. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry. 19: 5446-5453. PMCID: PMC3171608
  • Magedov, I.V., L. Frolova, M. Manpadi, U.D. Bhoga, H.Tang, N.M. Evdokimov, O. George, K.H. Gorgeou, S. Renner, M. Geftic, T.L. Kinnibrugh, M. Fernandes, S. Van Slambrouck, W.F.A. Steelant, C.B. Shuster, S. Rogelj, H. Waldmann, D. Rauh, W. A. L. van Otterlo and A. Kornienko. 2011. Anticancer properties of an important drug lead podophyllotoxin can be efficiently mimicked by diverse heterocyclic scaffolds accessible via one-step synthesis. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. J Med Chem.54:4234-4246.
  • Hapuarachchige, S., G. Montaño, C. Ramesh, D. Rodriguez, L.H. Henson, C.C. Williams, S. Kadavakkollu, D.L. Johnson, C.B. Shuster, and J.B. Arterburn. 2011. Design and Synthesis of a New Class of Membrane Permeable Triazaborolopyridinium Fluorescent Probes. Journal of American Chemical Society. 133: 6780-6790.
  • Siamakpour-Reihani, S., T.A. Peterson, A.M. Bradford, H.J. Argiros, L.L. Haas, S.N. Lora, Z.M. Haulsee, A.M. Spuches, D. L. Johnson, L.R. Rohrschneider, C.B. Shuster and B.A. Lyons. 2011. Grb7 binds to Hax-1 and undergoes an intramolecular domain association that offers a model for Grb7 regulation. Journal of Molecular Recognition. 25: 314-21
  • Wilmeth, L.J., S. Shrestha, G. Montano, J. Rashe and C. B. Shuster. 2010. Mutual dependence of Mob1 and the Chromosomal Passenger Complex for localization during mitosis. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 21: 380-392.
  • Henson, J.H., D. Cheung, C.A. Fried, C. B. Shuster, M.K. McClellan M.K. Voss, J.T. Sheridan and R. Oldenbourg. 2009. Structure and Dynamics of an Arp2/3 Complex-independent Component of the Lamellipodial Actin Network in Sea Urchin Coelomocytes. Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton. 66: 679-692.
  • 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. 2009. The cell migration protein Grb7 associates with the transcriptional regulator Fhl2 in a Grb7 phosphorylation-dependent manner. Journal of Molecular Recognition. 21:1-9.
  • 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.
  • Lucero, A.J., 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.
  • 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., A.Y. Lin, R. Nayak, and I.M. Herman. 1996. bcap73: a novel b actin- specific binding protein. Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton.  35:175-187.
  • 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.