Dept. of Molecular Biology and Chemistry
Waksman Institute
Rm. 133
Rutgers University
Piscataway, NJ

Tel:732 445-0250
FAX: 732 445-5735

padgett@waksman.rutgers.edu

Webpage

• Drosophila
• C. elegans
• mammalian cell culture

My laboratory is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms of growth control. Our primary focus is on the transforming growth factor-ß-like pathways (TGFß) and microRNAs.

TGFß signaling pathways: TGFß growth factors are expressed in most tissues of animals (from sponges to humans) and are involved in regulating cellular growth, patterning, and cell fate. Mutations in various signaling components of these pathways are associated with several important diseases and cancers. Because of the powerful experimental techniques available in Drosophila and C. elegans, and that fact that these pathways are conserved between invertebrates and mammals, we are using flies and nematodes as model systems to dissect this signal transduction pathway. In both organisms, we have executed genetic screens to identify new aspects of TGFß signaling and, as a complement to our genetic studies, we have generated microarray data in both organisms to identify downstream targets of these pathways as an aid to understand how they regulate growth. Using RNAi and genetic techniques, we are dissecting the function of these genes to determine how they interface with TGFß signaling.

microRNAs in developmental pathways: microRNAs are small RNAs (~21-23 nucleotides) that regulate gene expression by attenuating the translation of mRNAs in animal cells. They have been implicated in a variety of cellular responses, including the control of cell fate. We are interested in determining what cellular processes they control and what genes they target for translational repression. In addition, we have developed algorithms to predict their targets (in collaboration with H. Robins). These tools are being applied to 1) a series of breast cancers (in collaboration with M. Reiss) and 2) a variety of cellular differentiation events to determine how the expression of microRNAs changes as cell fates change.

For complete list: PubMed

Ibáñez-Ventoso, C., M. Yang, S. Guo, H. Robins, R.W. Padgett, and M. Driscoll (2006) Modulated microRNA expression during adult lifespan in C. elegans. Aging Cell, 5(3):235-246.

Yu, B., Z. Yang, J. Li, S. Minakhina, M.Wang, R.W. Padgett, R. Steward, and X. Chen (2005) Methlyation as Crucial Step in Plant microRNA Biogenesis. Science 307:932-935.

Robins, H., Y. Li, and R.W. Padgett (2005) Predicting microRNA Targets with High Precision. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 102:4006-4009.

Goff, L. A., M. Yang, J. Bowers, R. C. Getts, R. W. Padgett, and R. P. Hart (2005) Rational probe optimization and enhanced detection strategy for microRNAs using microarrays. RNA Biology, 2:3 93-100..

Kirilly, D., E.P. Spana, N. Perrimon, R.W. Padgett and T. Xie (2005). BMP signaling is required for controlling somatic stem cell self-renewal in the Drosophila ovary. Dev. Cell 9:651-662.

Patton, J.R. and R.W. Padgett (2003) Caenorhabditis elegans Pseudouridine Synthase Activity in vivo: tRNA is a Substrate but not U2 Small Nuclear RNA. Biochem. Journal 372(Pt 2):595-602.

Savage-Dunn, C., L.M. Maduzia, C.M. Zimmerman, A.F. Roberts, S. Cohen, R. Tokarz, and R.W. Padgett (2003) Genetic Screen for Body Size Mutant in C. elegans Reveals Many TGFß Pathway Components. Genesis 35:239-247.

Maduzia, L.M., T.L. Gumienny, C.M. Zimmerman, H. Wang, P. Shetgiri, S. Krishna, A.F. Roberts, and R.W. Padgett (2002) lon-1 Regulates Caenorhabditis elegans Body Size Downstream of the dbl-1 TGFß-like Signaling Pathway. Dev. Biol. 246:418-428.

Savage-Dunn, C., R. Tokarz, H. Wang, S. Cohen, C. Giannikas, and R.W. Padgett (2000). sma-3 Smad has specific and critical functions in DBL-1/SMA-6 TGFß -like signaling, Dev. Biol. 223:70-76.

Das, P., H. Inoue, J.C. Baker, H. Beppu, M. Kawabata, R.M. Harland, K. Miyazono, and R.W. Padgett (1999). Drosophila dSmad2 and Atr-I transmit activin/TGFß Signals, Genes to Cells 4: 123-134.

Krishna, S. L.M. Maduzia, and R.W. Padgett (1999). Specificity of TGFß signaling is imparted by distinct type I receptors and their associated SMAD proteins, Development 126: 251-260.

Suzuki, Y., M.D. Yandell, P.J. Roy, S. Krishna, C. Savage-Dunn, R.M. Ross, R.W. Padgett, and W.B. Wood (1999) A BMP homolog acts as a dose-dependent regulator of body size and male tail patterning in Caenorhabditis elegans, Development 126: 241-250.

Colavita, A., S. Krishna, H. Zheng, R.W. Padgett and J.G. Culotti (1998). Pioneer Axon Guidance by UNC-129, a C. elegans TGF-ß, Science 281: 706-709.

Das, P., L. Maduzia, H. Wang, A. Finelli, S-H. Cho, M. Smith and R.W. Padgett (1998). The Drosophila gene Medea reveals the requirement for different classes of Smads in dpp signaling, Development: 1519-1528.