DR. FRANS A. van der HOORN

 

 Doktoraal (Nymegen), Ph.D. (Nymegen) - Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Adjunct  Professor, Oncology

Affiliations: Member - The Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health 

Research Interests:

Spermatogenesis represents one of the ongoing differentiation systems for study in mammals. Cells from different stages of development can be isolated, but spermatogenesis cannot (yet) be recapitulated in cell culture. Thus transgenic and knockout models are commonly used to address functional questions. We study protein interactions in important sperm tail structures, regulation of expression, and function.

Using as bait the spermatid-specific Odf1 protein which localizes to outer dense fibers, we cloned several sperm tail proteins including Odf2, a major ODF protein, Spag4, an axonemal, microtubule-binding protein, and Spag5, which can bind to both microtubules and outer dense fibers. Interactions are often mediated by leucine zipper motifs. Odf1 also binds RING zinc finger protein OIP1 via CGP repeats. Odf2 is also expressed in somatic cell centrosomes where it may regulate appendage development. Experiments address a role for Odf2 in the sperm tail and the centrosome (using knockout approaches).

In a parallel line of investigation we cloned and characterized a novel kinesin light chain, KLC3, which is abundantly expressed in spermatids at the time of movement of mitochondria. We study interactions of KLC3 with kinesin heavy chain, outer dense fibers and with mitochondria. A role for KLC3 in mitochondrial transport is a research focus. Such analyses employ biochemical assays and transfection experiments.

We identified a putative large GAP-domain containing spermatid protein, tGAP1, with 4 rather than 1 GAP domains. tGAP1 is present in the nucleus and cytoplasm of spermatids and transfected cells. Motifs directing its localization and a possible role in nuclear transport are being studied.

 Click here for the van der Hoorn lab website

  Personnel:

Graduate Student:                                          Yibing Ruan, Ph.D.
Graduate Student:                                          Ying Zhang, Ph.D
Lab Technician:                                              Heide Orchard-Tarnasky
Lab Manager:                                                  Min Cheng
Research associate:                                     Dr. Young Ou
Administrative Assistant:                              Linka van As

View Pub Med for Recent publications & abstracts

Contact Information:

The University of Calgary,
Room G329 Health Sciences Centre,
3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2N 4N1
Phone: (403) 220-4243
Laboratory : (403) 220-7230
Fax: (403) 210-8109
E-mail: fvdhoorn [at] ucalgary [dot] ca.