Lynne M. Coluccio, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist
Molecular motors, hearing
coluccio@bbri.org

Research Summary
Our laboratory studies myosin-I, a class of molecular motors implicated in cell motility, establishment of polarity, and actin organization. Some years ago we isolated three class I myosins now known as Myo1b, Myo1c, and Myo1d from rat liver. Since then we have used a combination of biochemical, molecular and cellular biological approaches to understand the mechanism and function of these enzymes. Our studies have shown that these molecules, which are associated with several subcellular fractions, are kinetically very slow and well-suited for maintenance of tension in the cytoskeleton. Recently, we showed how the biophysical properties of Myo1c, which has a specialized function in the inner ear, enable it to support adaptation, a requirement for vestibular function.

Selected Publications

• Adamek, N., M. A. Geeves and L. M. Coluccio. 2011. Myo1c mutations associated with hearing loss cause defects in the interaction with nucleotide and actin. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 68:139-150
• Wang, C.-L., A. and L. M. Coluccio. 2010. New insights into regulation of the actin cytoskeleton by tropomyosins. Int. Rev. Cell Molec. Biol. 281:91-128. Invited review.
• Komaba, S. and L. M. Coluccio. 2010. Localization of myosin 1b to actin protrusions requires phosphoinositide binding.  J. Biol. Chem. 285:27686-27693. PMID: 20610386; PMCID: PMC2934636 [Available on 2011/9/3].
• Adamek, N., A. Lieto-Trivedi, S. Dash, M. A. Geeves and L. M. Coluccio. 2010. Modification of loop 1 affects the nucleotide-binding properties of Myo1c, the adaptation motor in the inner ear. Biochemistry 49(5):958-71. PMID: 20039646
• Lieto-Trivedi, A. and L. M. Coluccio. 2008. Calcium, nucleotide and actin affect the interaction of mammalian Myo1c with its light chain calmodulin. Biochemistry 47:10218-10226. PMID: 18729383

• Adamek, N., L. M. Coluccio and M. A. Geeves. 2008. Calcium-sensitive ATP hydrolysis of Myo1c, the adaptation motor in the inner ear. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A 105:5710-5715. View Full Text (PDF).

• Coluccio, L. M. 2008. Myosin I. InMyosins: A superfamily of molecular motors, L. M. Coluccio, editor, Vol. 7, Proteins and cell regulation series, pp 95-124, Springer Verlag, The Netherlands.
• Coluccio, L. M. 2008. Myosins: A superfamily of molecular motors, Editor. Vol. 7, Proteins and cell regulation series, Springer Verlag, The Netherlands. For info about this book.
• Lieto-Trivedi, A., S. Dash and L. M. Coluccio. 2007. Myosin surface loop 4 modulates inhibition of acto-myosin 1B ATPase activity by tropomyosin. Biochemistry 46:2779-2786.
• Coluccio, L. M. 2006. Myo1b. AfCS-Nature Molecule Pages. (doi:10.1038/mp.a001573.01).
• Clark, R., M., S. Ansari, S. Dash, M. A. Geeves, and L. M. Coluccio. 2005. Loop 1 of transducer region in Myo1b modulates actin affinity, ATPase activity, and nucleotide access. J. Biol. Chem. 280:30935-30942.
• Stafford, W. S., M. Walker, J. Trinick and L. M. Coluccio. 2005. Mammalian class I myosin, Myo1b, is monomeric and crosslinks actin filaments as determined by hydrodynamic studies and electron microscopy. Biophys. J. 88:384-391.
• Batters, C., M. I. Wallace, L. M. Coluccio, and J. E. Molloy. 2004b. A model of stereocilia adaptation based on single molecule mechanical studies of myosin-I. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. 359:1895-1905.
• Batters, C., C. P. Arthur, A. Lin, J. Porter, M. A. Geeves, R. A. Milligan, J. E. Molloy, and L. M. Coluccio. 2004a. Myo1c is tuned for the adaptation response in the inner ear. EMBO J. 23:1433-1440.

PubMed:
Click here for a list of publications (searches the National Library of Medicine's PubMed database.)