Document Actions

Rita K. Miller

	Title	Assistant Professor
	Office	258A NRC
	Phone	405-744-7732
	Email	rita.miller@okstate.edu
	Degree	Ph.D. Cell Biology. 1993. Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL
	Website

Research Area (top)

The cytoskeleton and positioning of the mitotic spindle

In eukaryotic cells, the mitotic spindle is the cytoskeletal apparatus that segregates the genetic information contained in chromosomes to each of the daughter cells. The placement of mitotic spindle for a large number of cell types is actually found off-center. Asymmetric positioning of the mitotic spindle is an active process that permits the asymmetric distribution of cell-specificity determinants and the establishment of different cell fates. Incorrect spindle positioning can result in genetic instability due to chromosomal mis-segregation, which is an important component of many cancers. The work in my lab is focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms that control spindle positioning. The Miller laboratory uses the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast), and is particularly interested in the post-translational mechanisms that regulate spindle positioning.

Read all about it!

Jacob Keeling earns a Niblack Scholarship

Researchers OCAST Award.pdf

Selected Publications (top)

Meednu, N., H. Hoops, S. D’Silva, A. Barbi, L. Pogorzala, S. Wood, D. Farkas, M. Sorrentino, E.A. Sia, P. Meluh, and R.K. Miller. 2008. Kar9p interacts with the sumoylation machinery in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 180:2033-2055.

Moore, J.K., and R.K. Miller. 2007. The CDK, Cdc28p, regulates multiple aspects of Kar9p function in yeast. Mol. Biol. Cell. 18:1187-1202.

Cuschieri, L., D., R. Miller, J. Vogel. 2006. Gamma tubulin is required for proper recruitment and assembly of Kar9-Bim1 complexes in budding yeast. Mol. Biol. Cell 17:4420-4434.

Miller, R.K, J.K. Moore, S.D’Silva, and H.V. Goodson. 2006. The CLIP-170 homologue Bik1p and spindle positioning in yeast. Curr. Topics in Dev. Biol. 76: 49-87.

Moore, J.K., S. D’Silva, and R.K. Miller. 2006. The CLIP-170 homologue, Bik1p promotes the phosphorylation and asymmetric localization of Kar9p. Mol .Biol. Cell 17:178-191.

Miller, R.K. 2004. Monitoring spindle assembly and disassembly in yeast by indirect immunofluorescence. In “Cell cycle checkpoint control protocols.” H. B. Lieberman. Editor. Humana Press, USA, Totowa, NJ. Methods in Molecular Biology series. Vol 241. pp.341-352.

Rose, M.D. and R.K. Miller. 2000. Spindle orientation and migration in yeast. In “Cell division and the Replicon” Eds. Fangman W.L., T. Kishimoto, M. Kohiyama, and C. Coath. HFSP, Strasbourg, France. pp. 173-181.

Miller, R.K., S.-C. Chang and M.D. Rose. 2000. Bim1p/Yeb1p mediates the Kar9p-dependent cortical attachment of cytoplasmic microtubules. Mol. Biol. Cell. 11:2949-2959.

Miller, R.K., D. Matheos and M.D. Rose. 1999. The cortical localization of the microtubule orientation protein, Kar9p, is dependent upon actin and proteins required for polarization. J. Cell Biol. 144:963-975.

Miller, R.K., K.K Heller, L. Frisén, D. Woodworth, D. Loayza, A.E. Gammie, and M.D. Rose. 1998. The kinesin-related proteins, Kip2p and Kip3p, function differently in nuclear migration in yeast. Mol. Biol. Cell. 9: 2051-2068.

Miller, R.K. and M.D. Rose. 1998. Kar9p is a novel cortical protein required for cytoplasmic microtubule orientation in yeast. J. Cell Biol. 140: 377-390.

Miller, R.K., S. Khoun, and R.D. Goldman. 1993. Dynamics of keratin assembly: exogenous type I keratin associates rapidly with type II keratin in vivo. J. Cell Biol. 122:123-135.

Miller, R.K., K.L. Vikstrom, and R.D. Goldman. 1991. Keratin incorporation into intermediate filament networks is a rapid process. J. Cell Biol. 113: 843-855.

Vikstrom, K.L., R.K. Miller, and R.D. Goldman. 1991. Analyzing dynamic properties of intermediate filaments. Methods Enzymol. 196: 506-525.

Goldman, R.D., Y.-H. Chou, G. Dessev, C. Dessev, A. Goldman, J. Eriksson, R. Kohnken, S. Khuon, M. Lowy, K. Murphy, O. Skalli, P. Opal, R. Miller, and S. Straube. 1991. Dynamic aspects of cytoskeletal and karyoskeletal intermediate filament (IF) systems during the cell cycle. In "The Cell Cycle." Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology, vol. LVI, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York. pp. 629-642.

Lab Members (top)

Jake (Niblack Scholar) and Kassie (OK-LSAMP Scholar)	Natalie Soulages

Lab Photos(top)

Mutant screen		Methanol