Jodi Nunnari
Professor and Chair
jmnunnari@ucdavis.edu
Molecular & Cellular Biology
Office
0214A Briggs Hall
530.754.9774
Degrees:
1989
PhD
Vanderbilt University
Pharmacology
1984
BA
College of Wooster, Ohio
Chemistry
Research Contribution to Society:
My laboratory research is devoted to understanding how the behavior of mitochondria is controlled in cells. Specifically, we focus on the fundamental problems of how the both the internal and external structure of mitochondria is established and maintained within cells as well as how the mitochondrial genome is organized and faithfully segregated within the organelle. We are currently focused on the molecular mechanisms that underlie mitochondrial division and fusion and positioning within cells. The regulation of mitochondrial copy number, morphology and distribution is critical for normal cellular differentiation and function. Not surprisingly, defects in mitochondrial structure and mtDNA maintenance are associated with a number of human diseases, including neurodegeneration and diabetes.
Research Interests:
My laboratory is interested in the mechanisms that govern the behavior of mitochondria in cells.
Awards:
Chancellor's Fellow
Phi Beta Kappa
Keith R. Porter Fellow
Professional Societies:
The American Society for Cell Biology
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
CBS Graduate Group Affiliations:
Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Specialties / Focus:
Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Cell Biology
Metabolism and Molecular Physiology
Molecular Medicine
Organelle and Cytoskeleton Dynamics
Signal Transduction and Gene Regulation
Structural and Mechanistic Biochemistry
Graduate Groups not Housed in CBS:
Microbiology
Publications:
Last updated 5/9/2012
Meeusen, S. and Nunnari, J. (2003) Evidence for a two membrane-spanning autonomous mitochondrial DNA replisome. Journal of Cell Biology, 63: 503-510.
Meeusen, S., McCaffrey, J.M., and Nunnari, J. (2004) Mitochondrial fusion intermediates revealed in vitro. Science, 305:1747-52
Ingerman E, Perkins EM, Marino M, Mears JA, McCaffery JM, Hinshaw JE, Nunnari J. Dnm1 forms spirals that are structurally tailored to fit mitochondria. J Cell Biol. 2005 Sep 26;170(7):1021-7.
Meeusen S, DeVay R, Block J, Cassidy-Stone A, Wayson S, McCaffery JM, Nunnari J. Mitochondrial inner-membrane fusion and crista maintenance requires the dynamin-related GTPase Mgm1. Cell. 2006 Oct 20;127(2):383-95.
Hoppins, S., Lackner, L. and Nunnari, J. 2007 The machines that fuse and divide mitochondria. Annual Review of Biochemistry, 76: 751-80.
Cassidy-Stone, A., Chipuk, J.E., Ingerman, E., Song, C., Yoo, C., Kuwana, T., Kurth, M.J., Shaw. J., Hinshaw. J.E., Green, D.R., and Nunnari, J. 2008 Chemical inhibition of the mitochondrial division dynamin reveals its role in Bax/Bak dependent mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization. Developmental Cell, 14:193-204.
Hoppins, S., Horner, J., Song, S. McCaffrey, J.M., Nunnari, J. (2009) Mitochondrial Outer and Inner Membrane Fusion Requires a Modified Carrier Protein. The Journal of Cell Biology, 184:569-81.
Kornmann B, Currie E, Collins SR, Schuldiner M, Nunnari J, Weissman JS, Walter P. (2009) An ER-mitochondria tethering complex revealed by a synthetic biology screen. Science 325:477-81.
Lacker, LL, Horner, J and Nunnari, J. (2009) Mechanistic analysis of a dynamin effector, Science, 325(5942):874-7.
DeVay, R.M, Dominguez-Ramirez, L, Lackner, LL, Hoppins, S, Stahlberg, H and Nunnari, J. (2009) Co-assembly of Mgm1 isoforms requires cardiolipin and mediates mitochondrial inner membrane fusion. Journal of Cell Biology186:793-803.
Hoppins, S, Edlich, F., Cleland, M. Banerjee, S., McCaffery, J.M., Youle, R. and Nunnari J. (2011) The soluble form of Bax regulates fusion via MFN2 homotypic complexes. Molecular Cell, 41:150-60.
Mears J.A., Lackner L.L., Fang S., Ingerman E., Nunnari J. and Hinshaw J.E. (2011) Conformational changes in Dnm1 support a contractile mechanism for mitochondrial fission. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 18 20-6
Graef M. and Nunnari J. (2011)Mitochondria regulate autophagy by conserved signaling pathways. EMBO J. 30 2101-14
Friedman J.R., Lackner L.L., West M., DiBenedetto J.R., Nunnari J. and Voeltz, G. (2011) ER tubules mark sites of mitochondrial division.
Science 334(6054) 358-62
Ford M.G.J., Jenni S. and Nunnari J. (2011) The crystal structure of dynamin. Nature 477 561-6
Hoppins S., Collins S.R., Cassidy-Stone A., Hummel E., DeVay R.M., Lackner L.L., Westermann B., Schuldiner M., Weissman J.S. and Nunnari J. (2011) A mitochondrial-focused genetic interaction map reveals a scaffold-like complex required for inner membrane organization in mitochondria. J. Cell Biol. 195(2) 323-40
Nunnari J. and Suomalainen A. (2012) Mitochondria: in sickness and in health. Cell 148 1145-59
Teaching Interests:
Cell Biology, biochemistry, and genetics.
Courses:
MCB
140L
Cell Biology Laboratory Course
MCB
120L
Biochemistry Laboratory