Sean M. Burgess
Professor
smburgess@ucdavis.edu

Molecular & Cellular Biology

Office
132 Briggs Hall
(530)754-5177

Lab
(530)754-5182


Picture of Sean M. Burgess
 
Degrees:
1999 Post-doctoral Fellow Harvard University- Molecular and Cellular Biology
1993 PhD University of California, San Francisco Genetics
1987 BA University of Colorado, Boulder Molecular Cellular & Developmental Biology
Research Interests:

The focus of work in my laboratory is to understand the dynamic nature of chromosomes during meiosis in budding yeast. We are interested in relationship between events associated with the pairing and recombination of homologous chromosomes and the organization of chromosomal elements, including telomeres and centromeres, in the nucleus.
Awards:
Helen Hay Whitney Post-doctoral Research Fellowship, 1993-1996
Science Scholar, Bunting Institute, Harvard University 1996-1998
Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation Young Investigator Award, 2000-2002
American Cancer Society Research Scholar 2001-2004
Department and Center Affiliations:
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
UC Davis Cancer Center
Professional Societies:
Genetics Society of America
CBS Graduate Group Affiliations:
Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology  
Genetics  
Publications: Last updated 10/7/2009
  • Mell, JC, Wienholz BL, Salem AA, and Burgess, SM (2008) Sites of recombination are local determinants of meiotic homolog pairing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetic 179, 773-784
  • Mell, JC, Komachi, K, Hughes, O and Burgess, SM (2008) Cooperative interactions between pairs of homologous chromatids during meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 179, 1125-1127
  • Burgess, S.M. (2007). Use of performance art to teach chromosome biology in large-enrollment genetics courses. Genetics 4: 2.
  • Wu, H-Y and Burgess, S.M. (2006). Two distinct surveillance mechanisms monitor meiotic chromosome metabolismm in budding yeast. Current Biol. 16, 2473-2479
  • Lui DY, Peoples-Holst TL, Mell JC, Wu HY, Dean E, Burgess SM. (2006). Analysis of close stable homolog juxtaposition during meiosis in mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 173:1207-22
  • Wu, H-Y and Burgess, S.M. (2006) Ndj1, a telomere associated protein, promotes meiotic recombination in budding yeast. Molecular and Cellular Biology. 26: 3683.
  • Peoples-Holst, T.L. and Burgess, S.M. (2005). Multiple branches of the meiotic recombination pathway contribute independently to homolog pairing and stable juxtaposition during meiosis in budding yeast. Genes & Development 19: 863-874.
  • Burgess, S.M. (2004) Homolog Pairing in S. pombe; The Ends Are the Means. Molecular Cell 13:766- 768.
  • Mell, J.C. and Burgess, S.M. (2003) Yeast as a Model Genetic Organism. In: Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences, London: Nature Publishing Group, http://www.els.net/doi:10.1038/npg.els.0000821
  • Peoples TL, Dean EW, Gonzalez O, Lambourne L and SM Burgess. (2002). Close, stable homolog juxtaposition during meiosis in budding yeast is dependent on meiotic recombination, occurs independent of synapsis and is distinct from DSB-independent pairing contacts. Genes & Development. 16: 1682-1695
  • Burgess, SM (2002). Homologous chromosome associations and nuclear organization in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In: Homology Effects. Advances in Genetics (v46). Academic Press. San Diego:49-90
  • Burgess, SM and N Kleckner (1999). Collisions between yeast chromosomal loci in vivo are governed by three layers of organization. Genes & Development. 13:1871-1883
  • Burgess, S.M., Kleckner, N. and Weiner, B. (1999). Somatic pairing of homologs in budding yeast: Existence and modulation.Genes & Development. 13:1627-41.
  • Burgess, S.M., Ajimura, M., and Kleckner, N. (1999). Gcn5-dependent histone H3 acetylation and Rpd3-dependent histone H4 deacetylation have distinct, opposing effects on IME2 transcription, during meiosis and during vegetative growth, in budding yeast. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 96:6835-40.
  • Burgess, S.M. and Guthrie, C. (1993). Beat the clock: Paradigms for NTPases in the maintenance of biological fidelity.Trends in Biochem. Sci. 18: 381-384.
  • Burgess, S.M. and Guthrie, C. (1993). A mechanism to enhance mRNA splicing Fidelity: The RNA-dependent ATPase Prp16 governs the use of a discard pathway for aberrant lariat intermediates. Cell 73, 1377-1391.
  • Burgess. S., Couto, J. and Guthrie, C. (1990). A putative ATP-binding protein influences the fidelity of branchpoint recognition in yeast splicing. Cell 60, 705-717.
  • Wood, W., Trent, C., Meneely, P., Manser, J. and Burgess, S. (1987).Control of X-chromosome expression and sex determination in embryos of Caenorhabditis elegans. In: Genetic Regulation in Development. R. Liss and Co. pp. 191-199.
  • Jefferson, R.A., Burgess, S.M. and Hirsh, D. (1986). Beta-glucuronidase from Escherichia coli as a gene-fusion marker. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 83: 8447-8451.
Laboratory Personnel:
139 Briggs Hall
http://www.mcb.ucdavis.edu/faculty-labs/burgess/
Doris Lui-Graduate student (BMB) Dan Ohde- Graduate student (BMB) Hsuan-Chung Ho- Graduate student (BMB) Daniel Chu (GGG) John Perea- Junior Specialist

Teaching Interests:
Genetics and Molecular Biology
Courses:
MCB 164 Advanced Eukaryotic Genetics Spring
MCB 121 Molecular Biology of Eukaryotic Cells Winter
MCB 138 Seminar- Molecular biology of aging Winter