Department of Zoology

 

Cell Biology

Howard Baylis

University Reader

Email: h.baylis@zoo.cam.ac.uk

Tel.: +44 (0)1223 336630

We are interested in understanding how intracellular signalling mechanisms regulate the development and physiology of C. elegans. In particular we are studying how signalling networks mediated by the second messengers calcium and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) are used to control the biology of C. elegans. We are currently investigating the roles of these pathways in embryonic development and growth as well as testing how changing the molecular properties of signalling molecules alters the biology of C. elegans. Recently, as part of this research we have been studying the relationship of calcium signalling and presenilin function. Presenilins are of particular interest because mutations in human presenilin cause familial Alzheimer’s disesase. Our research also addresses the function of other signalling pathways and in particular the role of TRPM channels in rhythmic physiological processes.

We use a combination of approaches including; RNAi and genetics to perturb and analyse gene function, protein interaction techniques, cell biological and microscopical approaches to address function and assays of whole animal behaviour.

Selected publications

  • Baylis H A and Vazquez-Manrique R P (2011) Reverse genetic strategies in Caenorhabditis elegans: Towards controlled manipulation of the genome. TheScientificWorldJOURNAL 11, 1394–1410. DOI 10.1100/tsw.2011.126.
  • Gonzalez-Cabo P, Bolinches-Amorós A, Cabello J, Ros S, Moreno S, Baylis H A, Palau F and Vazquez-Manrique R P (2011) Disruption of the ATP-binding cassette B7 (ABTM-1/ABCB7) induces oxidative stress and premature cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem, available as “paper in press” on line doi:10.1074/jbc.M110.21120
  • Vazquez-Manrique R P , Legg J C, Olofsson O, Ly S and Baylis H A (2010) Improved gene targeting by homologous recombination in C. elegans using counter selection and Flp recombinase-mediated marker excision. Genomics 95, 37-46  (doi:10.1016/j.ygeno.2009.09.001)
  • Walker D S, Vazquez-Manrique R P, Gower N J D, Gregory E, Schafer W R and Baylis H A (2009)  Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate signalling regulates the avoidance response to nose touch in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 5(9): e1000636. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1000636
  • Parker S P and Baylis H A (2009) Overexpression of caveolins in Caenorhabditis elegans induces changes in egg-laying and fecundity. (Article addenda) Communicative & Integrative Biology, 2 (5) 3-5.
  • Parker S P, Walker D S, Ly S and Baylis H A (2009)  Caveolin-2 is required for apical lipid trafficking and suppresses basolateral recycling defects in the intestine of Caenorhabditis elegans. Mol Biol Cell 20, 1763-1771,
  • Kwan C S M, Vazquez-Manrique R P, Ly S, Goyal K and Baylis H A (2008) TRPM channels are required for rhythmicity in the ultradian defecation rhythm of C. elegans. BMC Phys 8:11doi:10.1186/1472-6793-8-11
    Vazquez-Manrique R P, Nagy A I, Legg J C, Bales O A M, Ly S and Baylis H A (2008) Phospholipase C-ε Regulates Epidermal Morphogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 4(3): e1000043. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1000043
  • Parker S P, Peterkin H S and Baylis H A (2007) Muscular dystrophy associated mutations in caveolin-1 induce neurotransmission and locomotion defects in Caenorhabditis elegans. Invert Neuro 7, 157-164.
  • Baylis H A and Goyal K (2007) TRPM channel function in C. elegans. Biochem Soc Trans. 35, 129-132.
    Vazquez-Manrique R P, Gonzalez-Cabo P, Ortiz-Martin I, Ros S, Baylis H A and Palau F (2007) The frataxin-encoding operon of Caenorhabditis elegans shows complex structure and regulation. Genomics, 89, 392-401. (Cover Article)
  • Asencio C, Rodríguez-Aguilera J C, Vázquez R, Baylis H, Cabello J, Schnabel R, Gavilán A and Navas P (2006) Differential expression pattern of coq-8 gene during development in Caenorhabditis elegans. Gene Expr Patts 6, 433-439
  • Baylis H A (2005) Vav’s got rhythm (Preview article). Cell 123: 5-7
    Vázquez-Manrique R, González-Cabo P, Ros S, Aziz H, Baylis H A and Palau F (2005) Reduction of Caenorhabditis elegans frataxin increases sensitivity to oxidative stress, reduces lifespan and causes lethality in a mitochondrial complex II mutant. FASEB J 19 (12): doi:10.1096/fj.05-4212fje OCT 2005 (also printed Faseb J (2006) 20, 172-174)
  • Gower N J D, Walker D S and Baylis H A (2005) Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate signalling regulates mating and fertility in Caenorhabditis elegans males. Mol Biol Cell 16: 3978-3986.
  • Culletto, E, Baylis, H A, Richmond J E, Jones A K, Fleming, J T, Squire, M D, Lewis, J A and Sattelle, D B (2004) The Caenorhabditis elegans unc-63 gene encodes a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α subunit required for the function of a levamisole-sensitive receptor. J Biol Chem 279, 42476 – 42483
  • Yin X, Gower N J D, Baylis H A, Strange K (2004) IP3 signaling regulates rhythmic contractile activity of myoepithelial sheath cells in C. elegans. Mol Biol Cell 15, 3938-3949.
  • Walker D S, Ly N S, Gower N J D and Baylis H A (2004) IRI-1, a LIN-15B homologue, interacts with IP3 receptors and regulates gonadogenesis, defecation and pharyngeal pumping in C. elegans. Mol Biol Cell 15, 3073-3082.
  • Walker, D S, Ly S, Lockwood, K and Baylis, H A (2002) A direct interaction between IP3 receptors and myosin II regulates IP3 signalling in Caenorhabditis elegans. Curr Biol 12, 951-956.
    Walker, D S, Gower, N J D, Ly S, Bradley, G L, and Baylis, H A (2002). Regulated disruption of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) signaling in C. elegans reveals new functions in feeding and embryogenesis. Mol Biol Cell  13, 1329-1337.
  • Gower, N J D, Temple, G R, Schein, J E, Marra, M, Walker, D S, and Baylis, H A (2001). Dissection of the promoter region of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor gene, itr-1, in C. elegans: A molecular basis for cell-specific expression of IP3R isoforms. J Mol Biol, 306, 145-157
  • Baylis, H A, Furuichi, T, Yoshikawa, F, Mikoshiba K, Sattelle, D B, (1999), Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate Receptors are strongly expressed in the nervous system, pharynx, intestine, gonad and excretory cell of Caenorhabditis elegans and are encoded by a single gene (itr-1). J Mol Biol 294, 467-476
  • Miguel-Aliaga, I, Culetto, E, Walker, D S, Baylis, H A, Sattelle, D B, Davies, K E,  (1999) The C. elegans orthologue of the human gene responsible for spinal muscular atrophy is a maternal product critical for germline maturation and embryonic viability. Hum Mol Genet  8, 2133-2143.
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