Dr. Barbara T. Wakimoto

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University of Washington
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
College of Arts and Sciences
Professor
University of Washington
School of Medicine
Genome Sciences
Adjunct Professor

Mailing Address

106 Kincaid Hall
University of Washington
Box 351800
Seattle, Washington 98195-1800
United States

Contact Information

Phone: (206) 543-1620
Fax: (206) 616-2011
wakimoto@u.washington.edu

Qualifications

Postdoctoral Fellow, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Molecular Genetics, 1984.
Ph.D., Indiana University, Genetics, 1981.
B.S., Arizona State University, Zoology, 1976.

Expertise and Research Interests

My expertise is in the following areas:
Developmental genetics
Gene expression
Fertilization and sperm function
Chromosome organization in eukaryotes

Of the two major research goals, one seeks to understand how higher order chromatin structure, beyond the packaging of DNA into nucleosomal arrays, is determined and how it affects gene expression. To address this aspect of chromosome biology, we focus on a region of a Drosophila chromosome that contains a set of genes that require proximity to heterochromatin for their normal expression. We are molecularly identifying the cis-acting sequences and the trans-acting proteins required for proper expression of these genes to understand their unusual regulatory properties and to identify the molecular determinants of heterochromatin.

A second research goal is to use male sterile mutations of Drosophila to understand the genetic regulation of male fertility and identify novel fertilization molecules. In particular, we focus mutations that fail in fertilization and the activation of early development. These mutations provide powerful tools to identify molecules required for sperm-egg interactions and paternally contributed factors essential for initiating normal development. Currently, we are focusing on genes, which when mutated affect sperm activation or disrupt the ability of the paternal genome to participate in the earliest stages of embryogenesis. The genetic and molecular studies of these genes provide insight into the types of products and molecular interactions that control sperm decondensation, replication and the stable maintenance of the paternal chromosomes during early embryogenesis.

Other Expertise

Academic Experience:
1990-1994 Member, NIH Genetics Basis of Disease, Genetics Training grant Panel
1991-1992 Member, NIH Panel, Minority Predoctoral Fellowships
1993 Member, NSF Review Committee, BBS Research Training Grant Groups
1995-2004 Member, NSF Review Committee, Eukaryotic Genetics
1999-2003 Director, University of Washington Biology Program
2000-2003 Secretary, Genetics Society of America
2003-2004 President, Drosophila Research Community Board
2004-2006 Member-at-large, Drosophila Research Community Board
2005- Director, University of Washington-Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Education Programs
2005-2010 Member, Review Panel, Basil O'Conner March of Dimes Grants
2006 Director, University of Washington Interdisciplinary Predoctoral NIH Training Grant in Developmental Biology
2006-2009 Member, Electorate Nominating Committee, Biological Sciences, Section B, AAAS
2007-2010 Member, Advisory Committee, National Science Foundation Biological Sciences Directorate

Industrial Relevance

2003-2005 Consultant, Chromatin, Inc, Chicago, IL

Keywords

COS Keywords:

Developmental Genetics, Gene Expression, Molecular Genetics.

Additional Terms:

Chromosome Organization in Eukaryotes, Developmental Genetics, Gene Expression.

Memberships

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Society for Cell Biology
Genetics Society of America
Society of Developmental Biologists

Honors and Awards

2007, Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2005-2007, Washington Research Foundation Professor of Basic Biological Sciences, University of Washington
2004-2005, National Academies Education Fellow in the Life Sciences, National Academies of Sciences
2000-2001, Istituto Pasteur-fondazione Cenci Bolognetti and the University of Rome Visiting Professorship Award
1996-1997, National Science Foundation Visiting Professorship Award
1985-1988, Searles Scholar Award
1981-1984, Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellow

Publications

  • Yasuhara JC, Wakimoto BT (2008) Molecular landscape of modified histones in Drosophila heterochromatic genes and euchromatin-heterochromatin transition zones, PLoS Genet, 4 (1), e16
  • Smith MK, Wakimoto BT. (2007) Complex regulation and multiple developmental functions of misfire, the Drosophila melanogaster ferlin gene., BMC Dev Biol, Mar 26 (7), 21
  • Wilson KL, Fitch KR, Bafus BT, Wakimoto BT (2006) Sperm plasma membrane breakdown during Drosophila fertilization requires sneaky, an acrosomal membrane protein, Development, 133 (24), 4871-4879
  • Yasuhara JC, Wakimoto BT. (2006) Oxymoron no more: the expanding world of heterochromatic gene, Trends Genet., 22 (6), 330-338
  • Yasuhara JC, DeCrease CH, Wakimoto BT (Aug 2005) Evolution of heterochromatic genes of Drosophila., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America., 102 (31), 10958-63 Abstract
  • Wakimoto B (Feb 2005) The 2005 George W. Beadle Medal. Thomas C. Kaufman., Genetics, 169 (2), 508-9 Abstract
  • Giansanti MG, Farkas RM, Bonaccorsi S, Lindsley DL, Wakimoto BT, Fuller MT, Gatti M (May 2004) Genetic dissection of meiotic cytokinesis in Drosophila males., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 15 (5), 2509-22 Abstract
  • Wakimoto BT, Lindsley DL, Herrera C (May 2004) Toward a comprehensive genetic analysis of male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster., Genetics, 167 (1), 207-16 Abstract
  • Yasuhara JC, Marchetti M, Fanti L, Pimpinelli S, Wakimoto BT, A strategy for mapping the heterochromatin of chromosome 2 of Drosophila melanogaster, Genetica, 117(2-3), 217-26, March 2003 Abstract
  • Pimpinelli S, Wakimoto BT, Expanding the boundaries of heterochromatin, Genetica, 117(2-3), 111-6, March 2003 Abstract
  • Weiler KS, Wakimoto BT, Suppression of heterochromatic gene variegation can be used to distinguish and characterize E(var) genes potentially important for chromosome structure in Drosophila melanogaster, Molecular Genetics and Genomics : Mgg, 266(6), 922-32, February 2002 Abstract
  • Hoskins RA, Smith CD, Carlson JW, Carvalho AB, Halpern A, Kaminker JS, Kennedy C, Mungall CJ, Sullivan BA, Sutton GG, Yasuhara JC, Wakimoto BT, Myers EW, Celniker SE, Rubin GM, Karpen GH, Heterochromatic sequences in a Drosophila whole-genome shotgun assembly, Genome Biology, 3(12), RESEARCH0085, 2002 Abstract
  • Tomkiel JE, Wakimoto BT, Briscoe A Jr, The teflon gene is required for maintenance of autosomal homolog pairing at meiosis I in male Drosophila melanogaster, Genetics, 157(1), 273-81, Jan 2001 Abstract
  • Wakimoto BT, Doubling the rewards: testis ESTs for Drosophila gene discovery and spermatogenesis expression profile analysis, Genome Research, 10(12), 1841-2, December 2000 Abstract
  • Clegg NJ, Honda BM, Whitehead IP, Grigliatti TA, Wakimoto B, Brock HW, Lloyd VK, Sinclair DA, Suppressors of position-effect variegation in Drosophila melanogaster affect expression of the heterochromatic gene light in the absence of a chromosome rearrangement, Genome / National Research Council Canada = Genome / Conseil National De Recherches Canada., 41(4), 495-503, August 1998 Abstract
  • Weiler K S, Wakimoto B T, Chromosome rearrangements induce both variegated and reduced, uniform expression of heterochromatic genes in a development-specific manner., Genetics, 149(3), 1451-64, July 1998 Abstract
  • Fitch KR, Wakimoto BT, The paternal effect gene ms\(3\)sneaky is required for sperm activation and the initiation of embryogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster., Developmental Biology, 197(2), 270-82, 15 1998 Abstract
  • Wakimoto B T, Beyond the nucleosome: epigenetic aspects of position-effect variegation in Drosophila., Cell, 93(3), 321-4, 1 May 1998 Abstract
  • Fitch K R, Yasuda G K, Owens K N, Wakimoto B T, Paternal effects in Drosophila: implications for mechanisms of early development., Current Topics In Developmental Biology, 38, 1-34, 1998 Abstract
  • Wakimoto B, The spreading influence of heterochromatin., Trends In Genetics, 13(9), 349, September 1997 Abstract
  • Howe M, Dimitri P, Berloco M, Wakimoto B T, Cis-effects of heterochromatin on heterochromatic and euchromatic gene activity in Drosophila melanogaster., Genetics, 140(3), 1033-45, July 1995 Abstract
  • Tomkiel J, Fanti L, Berloco M, Spinelli L, Tamkun J W, Wakimoto B T, Pimpinelli S, Developmental genetical analysis and molecular cloning of the abnormal oocyte gene of Drosophila melanogaster., Genetics, 140(2), 615-27, June 1995 Abstract
  • Yasuda G K, Schubiger G, Wakimoto B T, Genetic characterization of ms (3) K81, a paternal effect gene of Drosophila melanogaster., Genetics, 140(1), 219-29, May 1995 Abstract
  • Weiler K S, Wakimoto B T, Heterochromatin and gene expression in Drosophila., Annual Review of Genetics, 29, 577-605, 1995 Abstract
  • Hearn M G, Hedrick A, Grigliatti T A, Wakimoto B T, The effect of modifiers of position-effect variegation on the variegation of heterochromatic genes of Drosophila melanogaster., Genetics, 128(4), 785-97, August 1991 Abstract
  • Devlin R H, Bingham B, Wakimoto B T, The organization and expression of the light gene, a heterochromatic gene of Drosophila melanogaster., Genetics, 125(1), 129-40, May 1990 Abstract
  • Wakimoto B T, Hearn M G, The effects of chromosome rearrangements on the expression of heterochromatic genes in chromosome 2L of Drosophila melanogaster., Genetics, 125(1), 141-54, May 1990 Abstract
  • Shapiro RA, Wakimoto BT, Subers EM, Nathanson NM, Characterization and functional expression in mammalian cells of genomic and cDNA clones encoding a Drosophila muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America., 86(22), 9039-43, November 1989 Abstract
  • Spradling AC, de Cicco DV, Wakimoto BT, Levine JF, Kalfayan LJ, Cooley L, Amplification of the X-linked Drosophila chorion gene cluster requires a region upstream from the s38 chorion gene, The Embo Journal, 6(4), 1045-53, April 1987 Abstract
  • Parks S, Wakimoto B, Spradling A, Replication and expression of an X-linked cluster of Drosophila chorion genes, Developmental Biology, 117(1), 294-305, September 1986 Abstract
  • Wakimoto BT, Kalfayan LJ, Spradling AC, Developmentally regulated expression of Drosophila chorion genes introduced at diverse chromosomal positions, Journal of Molecular Biology, 187(1), 33-45, January 1986 Abstract
  • Kalfayan L, Levine J, Orr-Weaver T, Parks S, Wakimoto B, de Cicco D, Spradling A, Localization of sequences regulating Drosophila chorion gene amplification and expression, Cold Spring Harbor Symposia On Quantitative Biology, 50, 527-35, 1985 Abstract
  • Kalfayan L, Wakimoto B, Spradling A, Analysis of transcriptional regulation of the s38 chorion gene of Drosophila by P element-mediated transformation, Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology, 83 Suppl, 137-46, November 1984 Abstract
  • Wakimoto BT, Turner FR, Kaufman TC, Defects in embryogenesis in mutants associated with the antennapedia gene complex of Drosophila melanogaster, Developmental Biology, 102(1), 147-72, March 1984 Abstract
  • Wakimoto BT, Kaufman TC, Analysis of larval segmentation in lethal genotypes associated with the antennapedia gene complex in Drosophila melanogaster, Developmental Biology, 81(1), 51-64, January 1981 Abstract
  • Denell RE, Hummels KR, Wakimoto BT, Kaufman TC, Developmental studies of lethality associated with the antennapedia gene complex in Drosophila melanogaster, Developmental Biology, 81(1), 43-50, January 1981 Abstract
  • Wakimoto BT, DNA synthesis after polyspermic fertilization in the axolotl, Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology, 52, 39-48, August 1979 Abstract
  • Weiler, K.S. and Wakimoto, B.T. Heterochromatin and gene expression in Drosophila. Ann. Rev. Genetics, 29: 577-605. 1995
  • Howe, M., Dimitri, P., Berloco, M., and Wakimoto, B. T. Cis-effects of heterochromatin on heterochromatic and euchromatic gene activity in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 140: 1033-1045. 1995
  • Tomkiel, J., Fanti, L., Berloco, M., Spinelli, L, Tamkun, J. W., Wakimoto, B. T. and Pimpinelli, S. Developmental genetical analysis and molecular cloning of the abnormal oocyte gene of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 140: 615-627 1995
  • Yasuda, G. K., Schubiger, G., and Wakimoto, B. T. Genetic characterization of ms(3)K81, a paternal effect gene of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 140:219-229 1995

Profile Details

Last Updated: 6/1/2009

COS Expertise ID #320339
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