Stephen Adam
Title: Associate Professor
Research area: Nuclear transport
Degree: Ph.D., Northwestern University
Voice: 312-503-7525
Fax: 312-503-7912
e-mail: s-adam@northwestern.edu

Detailed research description:
My laboratory is interested in the formation and maintenance of the nuclear compartment. All nuclear proteins must be transported into the nucleus from the cytoplasm. Many proteins, such as transcription factors and signaling proteins also shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Our recent focus has been in two areas: the assembly of nuclear import complexes and their movement through the nuclear pore complex and the role of nuclear transport in development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

The assembly of a nuclear import complex is one of the earliest steps in protein transport into the nucleus. Although most of the factors involved in transport have been identified, little is known about when, how or where in the cytoplasm the transport complex forms. We are currently focused on determining what factors regulate assembly of the import complex and how the import complex interacts with nuclear pores. The goal of these studies is to determine how the import complex interacts with the nuclear pore during protein import.

We have recently begun biochemical and genetic studies using C. elegans to determine the role multiple members of the importin alpha family of proteins play during development of the organism. We have demonstrated that two different importin alpha homologs have opposite roles in regulating the mitotic and meiotic switches necessary to form oocytes in the syncytial gonad of the worm. In addition, we have identified a potential new function for an importin alpha family member in chromosome segregation at mitosis.

Representative publications: Chi, N.C., Adam, E.J.H., Visser, G.D., and Adam, S.A.   (1996) RanBP1 stabilizes the interaction of Ran with   p97 in nuclear protein import. Journal of Cell Biology   135:559-569. Chi, N.C., Adam, E.J.H., and Adam, S.A. (1997) Different   binding domains for Ran-GTP and Ran-GDP/RanBP1 on   nuclear import factor p97. Journal of Biological   Chemistry 272:6818-6822. Chi, N.C., and Adam, S.A. (1997) Functional domains in   nuclear import factor p97 for binding the NLS receptor   and the nuclear pore. Molecular Biology of the Cell   8:945-956. Adam, Stephen A. (1999). Transport Pathways of   macromolecules between the nucleus and the   cytoplasm. Current Opinions in Cell Biology 11:402-406

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