Myers Lab
Investigating actin remodeling and translational regulation in the mammalian brain during development and disease.
Research Interests
The human brain contains almost 100 billion neurons that form trillions of connections with one another, called synapses. Disrupted synaptic connections are associated with a wide array of neurological disorders, including Intellectual Disability. Our primary goal is to better understand how neurons and synapses develop in the brain, and how they are affected by neurologic disorders. Our research focuses on the role of the actin cytoskeleton and mRNA translation in synapse formation and synaptic plasticity. We study the structure and function of neurons using a variety of fluorescence microscopy methods, cell biological approaches, and mouse genetics.
Meet the lab!
Lab Members
(L-R) Manushri Dalvi (undergraduate student), Kenneth Myers (PI), Kate Hardin (graduate student), and Shuristeen Joubert (graduate student)
Publications
Myers KR*, Fan Y, McConnell P, Cooper JA, Zheng JQ*. Actin capping protein regulates postsynaptic spine development through CPI-motif interactions. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. (2022) 29:15:1020949. *co-corresponding authors
Pollitt SL, Myers KR, Yoo J, Aora G, Zheng JQ. LIM and SH3 domain protein 1 regulates actin-based cell motility and axon development. Molecular Biology of the Cell. (2020) 31(24):2718-2732
Rui Y, Politt SL, Myers KR, Feng Y, Zheng JQ. Spontaneous Local Calcium Transients in Developing Oligodendroglia Regulate Process Outgrowth, Branching, and Myelin Membrane Formation. eNeuro. 17;7(4). (2020)
Grimsley-Myers, CM, Isaacson RH, Cadwell CM, Campos J, Hernandes MS, Myers KR, Seo T, Giang W, Griendling KK, Kowalczyk AP. VE-cadherin endocytosis controls vascular integrity and patterning during development. Journal of Cell Biology. 219(5). (2020)
Myers KR*, Yu K, Kremerskothen J, Butt E, Zheng JQ*. The nebulin family LIM and SH3 proteins regulate postsynaptic development and function. Journal of Neuroscience. 40(3):526-541. (2020) *co-corresponding authors
Lei W, Myers KR, Rui Y, Hladyshau S, Tsygankov D, Zheng JQ. Phosphoinositide-dependent enrichment of actin monomers in dendritic spines regulates synapse development and plasticity. Journal of Cell Biology. 216(8):2551-2564. (2017)
Lei W, Omotade OF, Myers KR, Zheng JQ. Actin cytoskeleton in dendritic spine development and plasticity. Current Opinion in Neurobiology. 39:86-92. (2016)
Myers KR, Liu G, Feng Y, Zheng JQ. Oligodendroglial defects during quakingviable cerebellar development. Developmental Neurobiology. 76(9): 972-82. (2015)
Rui Y, Myers KR, Yu K, Wise A, De Blas AL, Hartzell HC, Zheng JQ. Activity-dependent regulation of dendritic growth and maintenance by glycogen synthase kinase 3β. Nature Communications. 4:2628, (2013)
Myers KR, Wang G, Sheng Y, Conger KK, Casanova JE, Zhu JJ. Arf6-GEF BRAG1 regulates JNK-mediated synaptic removal of GluA1-containing AMPA receptors: a new mechanism for nonsyndromic X-linked mental disorder. Journal of Neuroscience. 32(34):11716-26, (2012)
Myers KR and Casanova JE. Regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics by Arf-family GTPases. Trends in Cell Biology. 18(4):184-92, (2008)
Ha J, Lo KW, Myers KR, Carr TM, Humsi MK, Rasoul BA, Segal RA, Pfister KK. A neuron-specific cytoplasmic dynein isoform preferentially transports TrkB signaling endosomes. Journal of Cell Biology. 181(6):1027-39, (2008)
Myers KR, Lo KW, Lye RJ, Kogoy JM, Soura V, Hafezparast M, Pfister KK. Intermediate chain subunit as a probe for cytoplasmic dynein function: Biochemical analyses and live cell imaging in PC12 cells. Journal of Neuroscience Research. 85:2640-2647, (2007)
El-Jaick KB, Powers SE, Bartholin L, Myers, KR, Hahn J, Orioli IM, Ouspenskaia M, Lacbawan F, Roessler E, Wotton D, Muenke M. Functional analysis of mutations in TGIF associated with holoprosencephaly. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism. 90(1): 97-111, (2007).
