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Lines of investigation
Tissue-level organization of cells in animals is supported by the basement membrane (BM), a planar polymer of extracellular matrix proteins that underlies epithelia and surrounds organs and nervous tissue. Understanding tissue architecture and its underlying cellular and molecular determinants is essential for deciphering the mechanisms of normal nervous system morphogenesis and altered physiology in disease and aging. In our laboratory, we use the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to study the secretion and assembly of the BM. Taking advantage of the sophisticated genetic tools available in Drosophila, and in combination with advanced imaging, we are investigating the biogenesis of BM components, their assembly into normal and fibrotic polymers, and their roles in the morphogenesis of the nervous system, intercellular signaling, immune responses, regeneration and tumor progression.
A particularly interesting aspect of the biogenesis of the extracellular matrix is its trafficking through the secretory pathway. The huge dimensions of collagen and other matrix proteins make them prone to age-dependent aggregation and challenge our current models of how secretion works. In this regard, we are examining the highly specialized organization of the secretory pathway in neurons and their so-called “Golgi ouposts”: Golgi fragments lacking the polarized organization typical of this organelle. Understanding outpost formation may shed light on the causes and consequences of Golgi fragmentation, notably increased in neurodegenerative diseases.
Representative Publications
- p24–Tango1 interactions ensure ER–Golgi interface stability and efficient transport. Yang K, Feng Z, Pastor-Pareja JC*. J Cell Biol. 2024 223: e202309045 https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202309045
- Convergence of secretory, endosomal, and autophagic routes in trans-Golgi-associated lysosomes. Zhou, L., Xue, X., Yang, K., Feng, Z., Liu, M., Pastor-Pareja, J.C. J Cell Biol. 2023 222(1):e202203045 https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202203045
- FGF signaling promotes spreading of fat body precursors necessary for adult adipogenesis in Drosophila. Lei Y , Huang Y, Yang K, Cao X, Song Y, Martín-Blanco E, Pastor-Pareja JC PLoS Biol. 2023 21: e3002050 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002050
- ER exit sites in Drosophila display abundant ER-Golgi vesicles and pearled tubes but no megacarriers Yang K, Liu M, Feng Z, Rojas M, Zhou L, Ke H, Pastor-Pareja JC Cell Rep. 2021 36:109707 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109707
- Atypical laminin spots and pull-generated microtubule-actin projections mediate Drosophila wing adhesion Sun T, Song Y, Teng D, Chen Y, Dai J, Ma M, Zhang W, Pastor-Pareja JC Cell Rep. 2021 36:109667 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109667
- Atypical basement membranes and basement membrane diversity – what is normal anyway?. Pastor-Pareja JC. J Cell Sci. 2020 133: jcs241794 - Review https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.241794
- Spectraplakin Shot maintains perinuclear microtubule organization in Drosophila polyploid cells Sun T, Song Y, Dai J, Mao D, Ma M, Ni J-Q, Liang X, Pastor-Pareja JC Dev Cell 2019 49:731-747.e7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2019.03.027
- Tango1 spatially organizes ER exit sites to control ER export Liu M, Feng Z, Ke H, Liu Y, Sun T, Dai J, Cui W, Pastor-Pareja JC J Cell Biol 2017 216:1035-1059 https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201611088
- Basement membrane manipulation in Drosophila wing discs affects Dpp retention but not growth mechanoregulation Ma M, Cao, Dai J, Pastor-Pareja JC Dev Cell 2017 42:97-106.e4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2017.06.004
- Inter-adipocyte Adhesion and Signaling by Collagen IV Intercellular Concentrations in Drosophila. Dai J, Ma M, Feng Z, Pastor-Pareja JC. Curr Biol. 2017 27: 2729-2740.e4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.002
Postdoctoral Researcher
Technical personnel
Visitors
- Stay in touch with the endoplasmic reticulum. Sha Sun, Gan Zhao, Mingkang Jia, Qing Jiang, Shulin Li, Haibin Wang, Wenjing Li, Yunyun Wang, Xin Bian, Yan G. Zhao, Xun Huang, Ge Yang, Huaqing Cai, Jose C. Pastor-Pareja, Liang Ge, Chuanmao Zhang & Junjie Hu Science China Life Sciences. 2024 67: 230–257 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-023-2443-9
- p24–Tango1 interactions ensure ER–Golgi interface stability and efficient transport. Yang K, Feng Z, Pastor-Pareja JC*. J Cell Biol. 2024 223: e202309045 https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202309045
- JNK signaling and integrins cooperate to maintain cell adhesion during epithelial fusion in Drosophila. Karkali K, Pastor-Pareja JC, Martin-Blanco E. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2024 11: 1034484 https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.1034484
- Convergence of secretory, endosomal, and autophagic routes in trans-Golgi-associated lysosomes. Zhou, L., Xue, X., Yang, K., Feng, Z., Liu, M., Pastor-Pareja, J.C. J Cell Biol. 2023 222(1):e202203045 https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202203045
- FGF signaling promotes spreading of fat body precursors necessary for adult adipogenesis in Drosophila. Lei Y , Huang Y, Yang K, Cao X, Song Y, Martín-Blanco E, Pastor-Pareja JC PLoS Biol. 2023 21: e3002050 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002050
- Collagen IV of basement membranes: IV. Adaptive mechanism of collagen IV scaffold assembly in Drosophila. Jacob A. Summers, Madison Yarbrough, Min Liu, W. Hayes McDonald, Billy G. Hudson, José C. Pastor-Pareja, Sergei P. Boudko J. Biol. Chem. 2023 299 (12): 105394 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105394
- Intrinsic and damage-induced JAK/STAT signaling regulate developmental timing by the Drosophila prothoracic gland. Cao X, Rojas M, Pastor-Pareja JC. Dis Mod Mech. 2022 15: dmm049160 https://doi.org/10.1242/dmm.049160
- ER exit sites in Drosophila display abundant ER-Golgi vesicles and pearled tubes but no megacarriers Yang K, Liu M, Feng Z, Rojas M, Zhou L, Ke H, Pastor-Pareja JC Cell Rep. 2021 36:109707 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109707
- Atypical laminin spots and pull-generated microtubule-actin projections mediate Drosophila wing adhesion Sun T, Song Y, Teng D, Chen Y, Dai J, Ma M, Zhang W, Pastor-Pareja JC Cell Rep. 2021 36:109667 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109667
- Tales of the ER-Golgi Frontier: Drosophila-Centric Considerations on Tango1 Function. Feng Z, Yang K, Pastor-Pareja JC. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 8: 619022 - Review https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.619022
- Katanin p60-like 1 sculpts the cytoskeleton in mechanosensory cilia Sun L, Cui L, Liu Z, Wang Q, Xue Z, Wu M, Sun T, Mao D, Ni J-Q, Pastor-Pareja JC, Liang X. J Cell Biol. 2021 220: e202004184 https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202004184
- Atypical basement membranes and basement membrane diversity – what is normal anyway?. Pastor-Pareja JC. J Cell Sci. 2020 133: jcs241794 - Review https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.241794
- Premature termination codon readthrough in Drosophila varies in a developmental and tissue-specific manner. Chen Y, sun T, bi Z, Ni J-Q, Pastor-Pareja JC, Javid B. Sci Rep. 2020 10: 8485 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65348-8
- Spectraplakin Shot maintains perinuclear microtubule organization in Drosophila polyploid cells Sun T, Song Y, Dai J, Mao D, Ma M, Ni J-Q, Liang X, Pastor-Pareja JC Dev Cell 2019 49:731-747.e7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2019.03.027
- Dissection of Nidogen function in Drosophila reveals tissue-specific mechanisms of basement membrane assembly. Dai J , Estrada B, Jacobs S, Sánchez-Sánchez-B , Tang J, Ma M, Magadán-Corpas P, Pastor-Pareja JC , Martín-Bermudo MD. PLoS Genet. 2018 14: e1007483 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1007483
- Collagen secretion screening in Drosophila supports a common secretory machinery and multiple Rab requirements. Ke H, Feng Z, Liu M, Sun T, Dai J, Ma M, Liu L-P, Ni J-Q, Pastor-Pareja JC. J Genet Genom. 2018 45: 299-313 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgg.2018.05.002
- The Drosophila Hox gene Ultrabithorax controls appendage shape by regulating extracellular matrix dynamics. de las Heras J, Garcia-Cortés C, Foronda D, Pastor-Pareja JC, Shashidhara LS, Sánchez-Herrero E. Development. 2018 145: dev161844 https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.161844
- Tango1 spatially organizes ER exit sites to control ER export Liu M, Feng Z, Ke H, Liu Y, Sun T, Dai J, Cui W, Pastor-Pareja JC J Cell Biol 2017 216:1035-1059 https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201611088
- Basement membrane manipulation in Drosophila wing discs affects Dpp retention but not growth mechanoregulation Ma M, Cao, Dai J, Pastor-Pareja JC Dev Cell 2017 42:97-106.e4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2017.06.004
- Inter-adipocyte Adhesion and Signaling by Collagen IV Intercellular Concentrations in Drosophila. Dai J, Ma M, Feng Z, Pastor-Pareja JC. Curr Biol. 2017 27: 2729-2740.e4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.002
- Extracellular chloride signals Collagen IV network assembly to form basement membranes outside cells. Cummings CF, Pedchenko V, Brown KL, Colon S, Rafi M, Stothers C, Ero-Tolliver IA, Jones-Paris C, Pokydeshava E, Liu M, Pastor-Pareja JC, McCall AS, Vanacore R, Gautam Bhave G, Santoro S, Blackwell T, Zent R, Pozzi A, Hudson BG. J Cell Biol. 2016 213 (4): 479–494 https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201510065
- Localized JNK signaling regulates organ size during development. Willsey HR, Zheng X, Pastor-Pareja JC, Willsey AJ, Beachy PA, Xu T. eLIFE 2016 5: e11491 https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.11491
- Plasma membrane overgrowth causes fibrotic collagen accumulation and immune activation in Drosophila adipocytes. Zang Y§, Wan M§, Liu M, Ke H, Ma S, Liu LP, Ni JQ, Pastor-Pareja JC. eLIFE 2015 4: e07187 https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07187
- Toll pathway modulates TNF-induced JNK-dependent cell death in Drosophila. Wu C, Chen C, Dai JL, Zhang F, Chen Y, Li W, Pastor-Pareja JC, Xue L. Open Biol. 2015 5: 140717 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.140171
