Balwant S. Tuana, Ph.D.
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Professor Faculty of Medicine 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5 Office: 3113 Tel.: (613) 562-5800 (8355) FAX: (613) 562-5434 Email: btuana@uottawa.ca |
Several distinct projects have been developed and are ongoing in the laboratory
Molecular pharmacology of Ca2+ Signaling
Novel isoforms of calcium channels and calmodulin dependent protein kinases have been identified in the laboratory and studies are underway to dissect their function and molecular regulation by G-proteins and the cytoskeleton
- Novel genes of the cardiovascular system
- SLMAPs
We have cloned a novel gene named SLMAP which we mapped to human chromosome 3p21 in a region that is a hot spot for proliferative disease as well as cardiomyopathy. Genomic structure of SLMAP indicates that it is composed of 24 exons and alternative splicing mechanisms can generate at least 12 splice variants that are expressed in the cardiovascular system. Studies using molecular biological, transgenic and gene targeting approaches are under way to define the roles of this gene.
- E2F6
Using SLMAP as bait in a yeast hybrid system we isolated the E2F6 gene which encodes a transcriptional repressor. We have defined a novel SLMAP isoform as a core component of the cell`s mitotic organizing center and studies are under way to define the role of E2F6 and SLMAP in mitosis, centrosomal function and gene regulation.
- SLMAPs
- Molecular basis of heart failure
Studies are in progress to define the role of SLMAP, E2F6, dystrophin, Ca2+ channel isoforms and Cam kinase in heart failure in humans and animal model systems. These studies are in collaboration with geneticists and clinicians at the Ottawa Heart Institute.
Some Selected References
Kyselovic, J., Leddy, J., Ray, A., Wigle, J. and Tuana, B.S. (1994) Temporal differences in the induction of dihydrophyridine receptor subunits and ryanodine receptors during skeletal muscle development. Journal of Biologi cal Chemistry. 269: 21770-21777.
Leddy, J., Murphy, B.J., Yi, Q., Doucet, J.-P., Pratt, C. and Tuana, B.S.(1993) A 60 kDa polypeptide of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum isa calmodulin-dependent protein kinase that associates with and phosphorylates several memb rane proteins. Biochemical Journal 295:849-856.
Frank, J., Mottino, G., Chen, F., Peri, V., Holland, P. and Tuana, B.S. (1994) Subcellular dis tribution of dystrophin in isolated adult and neonatal cardiac myocytes. American Journal of Physiology (Cell), 36, C1707-C1717.