Richard Maurer, Ph.D.

Email:: click here
Phone:: 503 494-7524
Lab Phone:: 503 494-7624

Background

To adapt to the environment, cells must respond to extracellular events with selective changes in gene expression. Receptor-regulated protein kinases are an important signaling mechanism which permits events at the cell membrane to alter the transcription of specific genes. This laboratory seeks to understand the intracellular signaling pathways which carry the message to the nucleus well as the nuclear events which mediate changes in pituitary hormone gene expression. Some of our studies examine the regulation of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone gene expression. These pituitary hormones are essential for normal reproductive function. We also study the regulation of prolactin, a pituitary hormone which is essential for lactation. The studies seek to identify the signal transduction pathways, specific DNA elements and transcription factors which are required for the tissue-specific, regulated expression of these pituitary hormone genes. Several recent studies have focused on the role of LIM homeodomain transcription factors and their co-activators in regulating pituitary hormone promoter activity.

Selected Publications

"Regulation of LIM-domain-binding 1 protein expression by ubiquitination of Lys¹³⁴," Biochemical Journal (Vol: 429, Issue: 1, Page 127-136) - 2010

"Transcription intermediary factor 1Î³ decreases protein expression of the transcriptional cofactor, LIM-domain-binding 1," Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (Vol: 396, Issue: 3, Page 674-678) - 2010

"Generation of mice with a conditional allele for Ift172," Transgenic Research (Vol: 19, Issue: 1, Page 121-126) - 2010

"Expression of the synaptotagmin I gene is enhanced by binding of the pituitary-specific transcription factor, POU1F1," Molecular Endocrinology (Vol: 23, Issue: 10, Page 1563-1571) - 2009

"The pituitary-specific transcription factor, Pit-1, can direct changes in the chromatin structure of the prolactin promoter," Molecular Endocrinology (Vol: 19, Issue: 1, Page 138-147) - 2005

"Gonadotropin-releasing hormone-induced stimulation of the rat secretogranin II promoter involves activation of CREB," Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology (Vol: 199, Issue: 1-2, Page 29-36) - 2003

"A Point Mutation in the LIM Domain of Lhx3 Reduces Activation of the Glycoprotein Hormone Î±-Subunit Promoter," Journal of Biological Chemistry (Vol: 276, Issue: 22, Page 19020-19026) - 2001

"Analysis of the role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase in mediating cyclic-adenosine 3â€²,5â€²-Monophosphate effects on prolactin promoter activity," Molecular Endocrinology (Vol: 15, Issue: 4, Page 614-624) - 2001

"Identification of a conserved protein that interacts with specific LIM homeodomain transcription factors," Journal of Biological Chemistry (Vol: 275, Issue: 18, Page 13336-13342) - 2000

"Thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulates phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor in GH₃ pituitary cells," Molecular Endocrinology (Vol: 14, Issue: 9, Page 1328-1337) - 2000

"MRG1 binds to the LIM domain of Lhx2 and may function as a coactivator to stimulate glycoprotein hormone Î±-subunit gene expression," Journal of Biological Chemistry (Vol: 274, Issue: 51, Page 36159-36167) - 1999

"Regulation of glyeoprotein hormone Î±-subunit gene expression," Recent Progress in Hormone Research (Vol: 54, Issue: , Page 455-485) - 1999

"A role for the mitogen-activated protein kinase in mediating the ability of thyrotropin-releasing hormone to stimulate the prolactin promoter," Molecular Endocrinology (Vol: 13, Issue: 7, Page 1094-1104) - 1999

"Characterization of DNA regions mediating the ability of Ca²⁺/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II to stimulate prolactin promoter activity," Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology (Vol: 132, Issue: 1-2, Page 109-116) - 1997

"Regulation of activating transcription factor-1 and the cAMP response element-binding protein by Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases type I, II, and IV," Journal of Biological Chemistry (Vol: 271, Issue: 6, Page 3066-3073) - 1996

"A composite Ets/Pit-1 binding site in the prolactin gene can mediate transcriptional responses to multiple signal transduction pathways," Journal of Biological Chemistry (Vol: 270, Issue: 36, Page 20930-20936) - 1995

"A role for mitogen-activated protein kinase in mediating activation of the glycoprotein hormone Î±-subunit promoter by gonadotropin-releasing hormone," Molecular and Cellular Biology (Vol: 15, Issue: 7, Page 3531-3539) - 1995

"An inactivating point mutation demonstrates that interaction of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) with the CREB binding protein is not sufficient for transcriptional activation," Journal of Biological Chemistry (Vol: 270, Issue: 13, Page 7041-7044) - 1995

"In vivo mutational analysis of the DNA binding domain of the tissue- specific transcription factor, Pit-1," Journal of Biological Chemistry (Vol: 270, Issue: 43, Page 25520-25525) - 1995

"Thyrotropin releasing hormone stimulates transient phosphorylation of the tissue-specific transcription factor, Pit-1," Journal of Biological Chemistry (Vol: 269, Issue: 46, Page 28662-28669) - 1994

"Differential activation of CREB by Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases type II and type IV involves phosphorylation of a site that negatively regulates activity," Genes and Development (Vol: 8, Issue: 21, Page 2527-2539) - 1994

"Involvement of a cAMP-responsive DNA element in mediating TRH responsiveness of the human thyrotropin Î±-subunit gene," Molecular Endocrinology (Vol: 8, Issue: 4, Page 528-536) - 1994

"Multiple Pit-1-binding sites facilitate estrogen responsiveness of the prolactin gene," Molecular Endocrinology (Vol: 8, Issue: 12, Page 1742-1749) - 1994

"Activation of the glycoprotein hormone Î±-subunit promoter by a LIM- homeodomain transcription factor," Molecular and Cellular Biology (Vol: 14, Issue: 5, Page 2985-2993) - 1994

"Pit-1 binding sites mediate transcriptional responses to cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate through a mechanism that does not require inducible phosphorylation of Pit-1," Molecular Endocrinology (Vol: 8, Issue: 11, Page 1559-1565) - 1994