Sarjeet S. Gill
Professor of Cell Biology & Entomologist
|
Signal Transduction
Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1973
VOICE: 951-827-4621 |
My laboratory's research focus, utilizing cellular and molecular approaches, are 1) understanding the mechanisms by which toxicants exert their biological effects, and 2) elucidating the processes involved in cell membrane transport. Studies on toxic action center on the structure-function relationships of bacterial toxins, and the effects of environmental toxicants on gene expression. The focus is on both the toxin and cell membrane proteins involved in interacting with these bacterial endotoxins. Current projects include the isolation of toxin receptors for bacterial endotoxins, elucidation of the domains involved in toxin binding, and identification of cell membrane binding epitopes. These studies will aid in unraveling the mechanisms by which these receptors modulate one component of the mode of action of these bacterial toxins. A second area of research under active investigation is the characterization of cell membrane transporters. The laboratory's focus is on vacuolar H+-ATPases, proton transporters that play a key role in creating pH and potential gradients across cell membranes such as those required for the uptake of neurotransmitters into synaptic vesicles. In conjunction with this effort the lab is also characterizing cell membrane and vesicular neurotransmitter transporters of ions and neurotransmitters. The goals of these studies are to isolate and clone transporters present in cell membranes, establish their function, determine their pharmacology, and gain an understanding of their temporal and spatial expression.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Mbungu, D., Ross, L.S. and Gill, S.S. Cloning, functional expression and pharmacology of a GABA transporter from Manduca sexta. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 318:489-497 (1995).
Pietrantonio, P.V. and Gill, S.S. Immunolocalization of the 17-kDa vacuolar H+-ATPase c subunit in Heliothis virescens midgut and malpighian tubules: A confocal and light microscopy study with an anti-peptide antibody. J. Exp. Biol. 198:2609-2618 (1995).
Gill, S.S., Cowles, E.A. and Francis, V. Identification, isolation and cloning of a Bacillus thuringiensis CryIAc toxin binding protein from the midgut of the lepidopteran insect Heliothis virescens. J. Biol. Chem. 270:27277-27282 (1995).
Chang, C., Yu, Y.-M., Dai, S.-M., Law, S.K. and Gill, S.S. High-level cryIVD and cytA gene expression in Bacillus thuringiensis does not require the 20-kDa protein and the co-expressed gene products are synergistic in their toxicity to mosquitoes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 59:815-821 (1993).
Gill, S.S., Cowles, E.A. and Pietrantonio, P. The mode of action of Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxins. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 37:615-636 (1992).
Chang, C. and Gill, S.S. Purification and characterization of an epoxide hydrolase from the peroxisomal fraction of mouse liver. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 276-284 (1991).