Mary Russell
Biography
Dr. Russell investigates the role of the type IV intermediate filament (IF) protein synemin as an A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP) in cardiac myocytes. AKAPs act to anchor PKA near substrates and thus aid in specificity of this signaling pathway. Numerous AKAPs have also been recognized as multivalent scaffold proteins, binding both activators and inhibitors of the PKA pathway and also other signaling proteins. In this way, at least some AKAPs act as sites of cross-talk.
Synemin is expressed in at least two isoforms in myocytes, with the larger isoform (a-synemin) containing a 312 amino acid insert near the C-terminus of its long tail domain. We believe that each synemin isoform plays a different role in signal transduction. This is based on the fact that each has an identical head and rod domain, the regions necessary for formation of IFs. The unusually long C-terminal tails of the type IV IF proteins are predicted to function in cell signaling and is the location of the 312 amino acid insert that differentiates the two synemin isoforms. Each isoform does contain the PKA binding region and thus functions as an AKAP.
With an eye towards elucidating the purpose of having two isoforms expressed in the same cell type, Dr. Russell has recently initiated several lines of study that have resulted in peer-reviewed publications and national grant submissions.
Anyone who is interested in participating in these studies, either as a member of the lab or a collaborator, is encouraged to contact Dr. Russell.
Included among the courses Dr. Russell teaches are:
- Biological Structure & Function
- Human Physiology
- Basic Microbiology
- Human Genetics
- Anatomy and Physiology I
- Anatomy and Physiology II
- Basic Microbiology
- Basic Microbiology Laboratory
- Biological Diversity
- Biological Foundations
- Biological Structure and Function
- Cell Biology
- Elements of Genetics
- Human Genetics
- Human Physiology
- Pharmacology and Physiological Alterations I
- Pharmacology and Physiological Alterations II
Research Areas
- Probe the functional differences between the two human isoforms of the intermediate filament protein synemin
- Identify additional novel PKA anchoring proteins in the human heart
Education
B.S., Microbiology, The Ohio State University
Publications
- MA Russell. 2020 "Synemin Redefined: Multiple Binding Partners Results in Multifunctionality" Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, Vol. 8, Pages 159, https://www.frontiersin.org/article/
- MA Russell, L Lund, R Habor, K. Mckeegan, N. Cianciola, M Bond. 2006. The intermediate filament protein, synemin, is an AKAP in the heart. Arch Biochem Biophys. 456(2):204–215.
- PJ Wickley, R Yuge, MA Russell, H Zhang, MA Sulak, D Damron. 2010. Propofol modulates agonist-induced transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype-1 receptor desensitization via a Protein Kinase Cε-dependent pathway in mouse dorsal root ganglion sensor
- LM Lund, JP Kerr, J Lupinetti, Y Zhang, MA Russell, RJ Bloch, M Bond. 2012. Synemin isoforms differentially organize cell junctions and desmin filaments in neonatal cardiomyocytes. FASEB J 26(12):137-148.
- M O’Donnell Shanks, LM Lund, S Manni, M Russell, J Mauban, M Bond. 2012. Chromodomain Helicase Binding Protein 8 (Chd8) is a novel A-kinase anchoring protein expressed during rat cardiac development. PLoS One. 7(10):e46316.
- BC Prudner, P Sinha Roy, DS Damron, MA Russell. 2014. a-Synemin localizes to the M-band of the sarcomere through interaction with the M10 region of titin. FEBS Letters. 588 (24): 4625-4630.
- ML Ruehr, MA Russell and M Bond. 2004. A-kinase anchoring protein of protein kinase A in the heart. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 37:653–665.
- SC Masri, MH Yamani, MA Russell, MB Ratcliff, J Yang, A Almasan, C Apperson-Hansen, J Li, RC Starling, P McCarthy, JB Young & M Bond. 2003. Sustained apoptosis in human cardiac allografts despite histological resolution of rejection. Transplantation. 76:
- ML Ruehr, MA Russell, DG Ferguson, M Bhat, J Ma, DS Damron, JD Scott and M Bond. 2003. Targeting of PKA by mAKAP regulates phosphorylation and function of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor. J Biol Chem. 278:24831–24836.
- MA Fink, DR Zakhary, JA Mackey, RW Desnoyer, C Apperson-Hansen, DS Damron and M Bond. 2001. AKAP-mediated targeting of PKA regulates contractility in cardiac myocytes. Circ Res. 88:291–297.
- DR Zakhary, MA Fink, MA Ruehr and M Bond. 2000. Selectivity and regulation of A-kinase anchoring proteins in the heart: the role of autophosphorylation of the type-II regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. J Biol Chem. 275:41389–41395.
- MJ Im, MA Russell and JF Feng. 1997. Transglutaminase II: A new class of GTP-binding protein with a new biological function. Cell Signal. 9:477–482.
- A Darzins and MA Russell. 1996. Molecular genetic analysis of pilus biogenesis and twitching motility using Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a model system. Gene. 197:109–115.
- MA Russell and A Darzins. 1994. The pilE gene product of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, required for pilus biogenesis, shares amino acid sequence identity with the N-termini of prepilin proteins. Mol Microbiol. 13:973–985.
Affiliations
- American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
Awards/Achievements
- Faculty Excellence Awards, Campus Teaching and University Citizenship/ Service (2014)
- Faculty Excellence Awards, Campus Research and/or Creative Activity (2014)
- Faculty Excellence Awards, Campus Teaching and University Citizenship/ Service (2013)
- Faculty Excellence Awards, Campus Research and/or Creative Activity (2013)
- Faculty Excellence Awards, Campus Teaching and University Citizenship/ Service (2012)
- Faculty Excellence Awards, Campus Research and/or Creative Activity (2012)
- Awards of Excellence, Scholarship of Teaching/University Citizenship, Kent State University (2010)
- Awards of Excellence, Scholarship of Discovery, Kent State University (2010)
- Awards of Excellence, Scholarship of Teaching/University Citizenship, Kent State University (2008)
- Awards of Excellence, Scholarship of Discovery, Kent State University (2008)
- Graduate’s Applause Certificate of Achievement, Kent State University (2008)
- Bernadine Healy Prize, Department of Molecular Cardiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (2003)
- Merit Award for Best Presentation (2003)