Early Stages of Lens Induction in Xenopus Embryos are Mediated by Transcriptional Cofactor LDB1
Center for Legislative Studies (CLS), Auditorium
In a search for genes with lens-inducing activity, ldb1 was isolated through an expression cloning strategy. Further investigation revealed the activity to be dependent on the nucleus, suggested that its action is due to an indirect mechanism. To test the hypothesis that ldb1 mediates induction of an early lens gene by transcriptional activation of lens-inducing signals, ldb1 was tested in several gain- and loss-of-function assays. ldb1 was shown to be capable of activating early head ectodermal genes, while depletion of ldb1 results in a reduction of the eye field and disruption of lens development. These data suggest that an ldb1-regulated mechanism comprises the early signal for Xenopus lens induction, and lay the groundwork for linking this molecule to activation of known early lens genes.
Carol Z. Plautz has been on the Biology faculty at Shepherd University since the fall of 2008. She earned her B.A. in Biology from New College of Florida, where she began the study of developing aquatic organisms. Her Ph.D. work in Biology from the University of Virginia was on early lens development in amphibians. Her postdoctoral work at Stanford University focused on ongoing neurogenesis and patterning in the fish retina. Before joining Shepherd’s full time faculty, other endeavors included science website entrepreneur, adjunct faculty member at Shepherd and at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, and Dean of Health Sciences at Blue Ridge CTC.
Dr. Plautz’s research interests are centered on Developmental Biology, and reflect a long-standing interest in the molecules and processes involved in development and growth. One current approach to this subject is the study of developmental abnormalities in aquatic organisms such as the pond snail Lymnaea palustris. Studies on the effects of specific environmental contaminants have yielded insights into disruption in reproduction by alteration of steroidogenic pathways as well as alteration in learning and memory processes. In 2011, Dr. Plautz was honored with two distinguished awards, the Outstanding Teacher Award from Shepherd University for 2010-2011, and the 2011 Outstanding Mentor Award by the Biology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research.