Faculty Profile

Daniel Starr
Asst Professor
Molecular and Cellular Biology (College of Biological Sciences)
Briggs Hall 139
Office (530)754-6083
Lab (530)754-6032
dastarr@ucdavis.edu
http://www.mcb.ucdavis.edu/faculty-labs/starr/
[Picture of Daniel Starr]

Degrees:
1998 - PhD - Cornell University - Genetics
1992 - BA - Colby College - Biology

Awards:
Basil O'Conner Scholar from the March of Dimes

Department and Center Affiliations:
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Center for Genetics and Development

Professional Societies:
American Society for Cell Biology

Grad Group Affiliations and Specialties:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cell and Developmental Biology
Genetics

Publications:
M. D. McGee, I. Stagljar, and D. A. Starr. 2009. KDP-1 is a nuclear envelope KASH protein required for cell cycle progression. The Journal of Cell Science. In Press.

M. Meyerzon, H. N. Fridolfsson, N. Ly, F. J. McNally, and D. A. Starr. 2009. UNC-83 is a nuclear-specific cargo adaptor for kinesin-1 mediated nuclear migration. Development In Press.

Matthew D. McGee, Regina Rillo, Amy S. Anderson, and Daniel A. Starr. 2006. UNC-83 is a KASH protein required for nuclear migration and is recruited to the outer nuclear envelope by a physical interaction with the SUN protein UNC-84. Molecular Biology of the Cell 17; 1790-1901.

Juehua Yu, Daniel A. Starr, Xiaohui Wu, Susan M. Parkhurst, Yuan Zhuang, Tian Xu, Rener Xu, and Min Han. 2006. The KASH domain protein MSP-300 plays an essential role in nuclear anchoring during Drosophila oogenesis. Developmental Biology 289:336-345.

D. A. Starr. 2009. A nuclear-envelope bridge positions nuclei and moves chromosomes. Invited commentary in The Journal of Cell Science 122: 577-586.

M. Meyerzon, Z. Gao, J. Liu, J. C. Wu, C. J. Malone, and D. A. Starr. 2009. Centrosome attachment to the C. elegans male pronucleus is dependent on the surface area of the nuclear envelope. Developmental Biology 327: 433-446.

D. A. Starr. 2007. Communication between the cytoskeleton and the nuclear envelope to position the nucleus. Molecular BioSystems 3: 583-589.

Daniel A. Starr and Janice A. Fischer. 2005. KASH 'n Karry: the KASH domain family of cargo specific adaptor proteins. BioEssays 27:1136-1146.

R. M. Grady*, D. A. Starr*, G. Ackerman, J. R. Sanes, and M. Han. 2005. Syne proteins anchor muscle nuclei at the neuromuscular junction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 102: 4359-4364.

D. A. Starr and M. Han. 2005. A genetic approach to study the role of nuclear envelope components in nuclear positioning. In: Nuclear organization in development and disease. Wiley, Cinchester (Novartis Found Symp 264).

D. A. Starr and M. Han. 2003. ANChors away: an actin based mechanism of nuclear positioning. The Journal of Cell Science 116: 211-216.

D. A. Starr, and M. Han. 2002. Role of ANC-1 in tethering nuclei to the actin cytoskeleton. Science 298: 406-409.

K. K. Lee*, D. A. Starr*, M. Cohen, J. Liu, M. Han, K. L. Wilson, and Y. Gruenbaum. 2002. Lamin-dependent localization of UNC-84, a protein required for nuclear migration in C. elegans. Molecular Biology of the Cell 13: 892-901.

D. A. Starr, G. J. Hermann, C. J. Malone, W. Fixsen, J. R. Priess, H. R. Horvitz, and M. Han. 2001. UNC-83, a novel component of the nuclear envelope is essential for nuclear migration. Development 128: 5039-5050.

Research Interests:
There are many examples throughout development where nuclei or other organelles migrate to a new position in the cell. Once the nucleus has migrated to the correct location, there are mechanisms to anchor the nucleus there. Defects in nuclear positioning can lead to developmental defects and diseases such as Lisencephaly and Muscular Dystrophy. However, very little is known about the mechanisms of nuclear positioning. We are using the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism to study how nuclei and other organelles are positioned within a cell. We use genetic, biochemical and molecular approaches to study this basic problem in cell biology.

Laboratory Personnel:
BESt lab, 139 Briggs - Matthew McGee, Marina Meyerzon, Erin Tapley, Heidi Petersen, Yu-Tai Chang, Nina Ly, Daniel Dranow, Dmitry Ratner, Esther Oh
http://www.mcb.ucdavis.edu/faculty-labs/starr/

Courses Taught:
BIS 104 Cell Biology
MCB 221D Cellular Biochemistry