Graduate Studies Faculty
David L. Farrens, Ph.D.
Programs:
Biochemistry & Molecular BiologyProgram in Molecular & Cellular Biosciences
Research Interests:
-Structural and functional studies of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs)and affiliated proteins. -Determining common structural mechanisms involved in GPCR activation and attenuation. -Visual and signal transduction and disease. -Cannabninoid receptor signalling. -Development and use of novel physical and biochemical techniques -Structural and Dynamic studies using site-directed spectroscopy (fluorescence and EPR). » PubMed ListingPreceptor Rotations
Dr. Farrens has not indicated availability for preceptor rotations at this time.Faculty Mentorship
Dr. Farrens has not indicated availability as a mentor at this time.Profile
1980-1985 University of Nebraska-Lincoln B.Sc. Chemistry (Biology minor)
1985-1991 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Ph.D. Chemistry
1991 RIKEN Institute, Tokyo, Japan
1992-1996 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1996 Jules-Stein Eye Institute, UCLA
1996-2005 OHSU Assistant Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
2005- OHSU Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Current Graduate Students: Abhinav Sinha (joined lab 2005) and Jonathan Fay (joined lab 2006).
Past Graduate Students: Dr. Jay Janz (2004), Dr. Martha Sommer (2006), Dr. Steven Mansoor (2007).
Select Publications (from past 5 years):
Tsukamoto, Hisao, Farrens, D.L., Koyanagi, M. and Terakita, A. (2009) “The magnitude of the light-induced conformational change in different rhodopsins correlates with their ability to activate G proteins” J. Biol. Chem. 284(31):20676-83.
Sommer, ME, Farrens, DL, McDowell, JH, Weber, LA, and Smith, WC (2007) "Dynamics of Arrestin-Rhodopsin Interactions: Loop Movement is Involved in Arrestin Activation and Receptor Binding." J. Biol. Chem. 282, 25560-8.
DeWitt, M.A., Kliegman, J.A., Helmann, J.D., Brennan, R.G., Farrens, D.L. and Glasfeld. A. (2007) “The Conformations of the Manganese Transport Regulator of Bacillus subtilis in its Metal-free State” J. Mol. Biol. 365, 1257–1265
Sommer, M.E. and Farrens, D.L. (2006) “Arrestin Can Act as a Regulator of Rhodopsin Photochemistry” Vision Research 46: 4532-4546.
Yao, X., Parnot, C., Deupi, X., Ratinalla, P., Swaminath, G., Farrens, D. , Kobilka, B. (2006) “Coupling ligand structure to specific conformational switches in the β2 adrenoceptor “ Nature Chemical Biology 2: 417-422.
Sommer, M.E., Smith, W.C. and Farrens, D.L. (2006) "Dynamics of Arrestin-Rhodopsin Interactions: Acidic Phospholipids Enable binding of Arrestin to Purified Rhodopsin in Detergent” J. Biol. Chem. 281:9407-9417.
Mansoor, S.E., Palczewski, K. and Farrens, D.L. (2006) “Rhodopsin Self-Associates in Asolectin Liposomes” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A 103:3060-3065.
Fay, J.F., Dunham, T.D. and Farrens, D.L. (2005) “Role of Cysteine Residues in the Human Cannabinoid Receptor (CB1): C264 and C257 are required for a Functional Receptor and Steric Bulk at C386 Impairs Antagonist SR141716A Binding” Biochemistry 44: 8757-8769.
Sommer, M.E., Smith, W.C. and Farrens, D.L. (2005) "Dynamics of arrestin-Rhodopsin interactions: Arrestin and retinal release are directly linked events" J. Biol. Chem. 280:6861-6871.
Mansoor, S.E. and Farrens, D.L. (2004) “High-Throughput Protein Structural Analysis Using Site-Directed Fluorescence Labeling and the Bimane Derivative (2-Pyridyl)dithiobimane” Biochemistry 43, 9426-9438.
Janz, J.M. and Farrens, D.L. (2004b) “Role of Retinal Hydrogen Bond Network in Rhodopsin Schiff Base Stability and Hydrolysis” J. Biol. Chem. 279:55886-55894.
Janz, J.M. and Farrens, D.L. (2004a) “Rhodopsin Activation Exposes a Key Hydrophobic Binding site for the Transducin α-Subunit C Terminus” J. Biol. Chem., 279: 29767 – 29773.
