José R. Rodríguez Medina, Ph.D. Professor and Chairman
jose.rodriguez123@upr.edu

Myosin II function in cell division and fungal cell wall biogenesis.

Ph.D., 1986, Brandeis University
Phone: (787) 758-2525 ext. 2299

Research Interests

We have focused our recent studies on the identification of functional pathways required for resistance to Nikkomycin Z (NZ), an antifungal agent that inhibits cell wall chitin biosynthesis in budding yeast. Unlike wild-type cells that are relatively resistant to NZ (IC50=25mm), most myosin II-deficient (myo1D) strains of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae require chitin synthesis for survival and are hypersensitive to very low concentrations of NZ (IC50=6.25 mm). Through the use of genetics we are interested in identifying which functional pathways interact (indirectly or directly) with Myo1p in this hypersensitivity phenotype and thereby identify how myosin II functions can be related to cell integrity. We believe that what we learn about the mechanism of resistance to NZ in myo1D strains may be applicable to other antifungal drugs that target cell wall synthesis.

Recent Publications

F. E. Rivera-Molina, Y. Maldonado-De la Cruz, J. M. Ortíz-Betancourt and J.R. Rodríguez-Medina, (2006)2,3-butanedione monoxime increases sensitivity to nikkomycin Z in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae World J Microbiol Biotechnol 22(3);255-260.

F. E. Rivera-Molina, N. L. Díaz-Blanco, J. F. Rodríguez-Quiñones, and J. R. Rodríguez-Medina (2006) Interplay between the protein recycling pathway and susceptibility to nikkomycin Z in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recent Res. Devel. Mol. and Cell. Biol., 6:109-120, ISBN:81-308-0131-0, Research Signpost  37/661(2). (Book chapter)

Díaz-Blanco NL, Rodríguez-Medina JR. Dosage rescue by UBC4 restores cell wall integrity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking the myosin type II gene MYO1.Yeast. 2007 Apr;24(4):343-55.

J. F. Rodríguez-Quiñones, R. A. Irizarry, Díaz-Blanco N., D., F. E. Rivera-Molina, Gómez-Garzón, and J. R. Rodríguez-Medina, Global mRNA expression analysis in myo1D strains of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveals cell integrity phenotypes. BMC Genomics, 2008, 9:34.