Myeongwoo Lee, PhD

Education

BS, Sung Kyun Kwan University, Korea
MS, Illinois State University
Ph.D., Illinois State University

Courses Taught

Undergraduate Biology Courses

Graduate Catalog

• BIO 1305 Mod Concepts Bioscience
• BIO 3342 Molecular Cell Biology
• BIO 4108 Genes and Development Laboratory- Research 
• BIO 4308 Genes and Development

Biography

I teach Cell and Developmental biology. In the course, we study the molecular aspect of cell and development such as how a single cell divides and polarizes, what drives cells to become different from each other, how cells move around in the body, and what regulates cell movement. These cell biology questions lead us to understand how a fertilized egg divides and develops into a fully grown body.

I also study development of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. I am particularly interested in the formation of the gonad in C. elegans. During development, a group of cells divides and forms a symmetric U-shaped gonad. To form this highly ordered structure, cells at the tip of the gonad (gonad leader cells) must communicate with the cell environment and navigate to the proper directions. My goal is to understand how these tiny cells interact with the cell environment and find their proper paths. My previous study has shown that a protein molecule, called integrin, on the surface of gonad leader cells plays an important role in pathfinding. The goal of my research is to understand the molecular and cell biology of integrin in the pathfinding of gonad leader cells.

I will be happy to discuss my research with students who are interested in my work.

Research Interests

• Developmental Genetics
• Genome Editing

Publications

Bumm, J., Lee, D.D., Qiu, Z., Choi, A., Kolluri, M., Olsen, M., Wang, L., and Lee, M. (2024) The NPxY motifs in the β integrin regulates serotonin response and mechanosensation in C. elegans. BioRxiv, doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.23.630109.

Serrano, M.V., Cottier, S., Wang, L., Moreira-Antepara, S., Nzessi, A., Liu, Z., Williams, B., Lee, M., Schneiter, R., and Liu, J. (2024) The C. elegans LON-1 protein requires its CAP domain for function in regulating body size and BMP signaling. Genetics, Accepted. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/iyae202.

Sadeghian, F., Ibrahim, I., Ravichandran, L., Henderson, G., Acharya, A., Wang, L., Lee, M., and Cram, E. (2023) An integrin-binding motif in TLN-1/talin plays a minor role in motility and ovulation. micropublication Biology. https://doi.org/10.17912/micropub.biology.000726.

Qiu, Z., Park, A., Wang, L., Wilsey, R., Lee, M., (2022) “The RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) is a potential cell binding motif of UNC-52/PERLECAN mediating interaction to PAT-3/β-integrin.’ Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 586:143-149. 

Castaneda, P. G., Wu, N., Qiu, Z., Lee, M., Cram, E. (2021). ZYX-1/Zyxin plays a minor role in oocyte transit through the spermatheca in C. elegans. Micropublication Biology, 10.17912/micropub.biology.000489/  

Wang, L., Qiu, Z., Lee, M. (2021). Mutations in the cell-binding motif of lam-3/laminin α reveal hypercontraction behavior and defective sensitivity to levamisole in Caenorhabditis elegans. Micropublication Biology, 10.17912/micropub.biology.000485.

Park, A; Qiu, Z; Lee, M (2021). Deletion of the RGD motif in LON-2/glypican is associated with morphological abnormalities. microPublication Biology. 10.17912/micropub.biology.000376

Leung, AC; Hughes, C; Gunderson, J; Lee, M (2020). Lipopolysaccharide stimulates egg laying in Caenorhabditis elegans. microPublication Biology. 10.17912/micropub.biology.000308.

Hanna, J; Ramani, S; Williams, T; Anaya, R; Campion, N; Lopez, E; Williams, R; McIntire, J; Tran, N; Reyna, V; Zeng, J; Miller, S; Pancar, A; Qiu, Z; Lee, M (2020). Three alleles in the pat-3 locus of Caenorhabditis elegans: mutations in the membrane-distal NPxY phosphotyrosine motif. microPublication Biology. 10.17912/micropub.biology.000291.

Park, A; Qiu, Z; Bumm, J; Lee, M (2020). A novel mutation in unc-112/kindlin locus causes distal tip cell migration defects. microPublication Biology. 10.17912/micropub.biology.000265.

Wilsey, R; Hodge, S; Kenney, K; Wahl, J; Jaffery, R; Brau, A; Qiu, Z; Lee, M. Two alleles of unc-52 locus disrupting potential cell-binding motif of UNC-52. (2020) microPublication Biology. 10.17912/micropub.biology.000250.

Park, A; Qiu, Z; Lee, M; Lewis, K; Cross, M; Baur, O; Brice, S; Whiteley, L. Triple and quadruple mutation of RGD motif using CRISPR-Cas9 in him-4 locus of Caenorhabditis elegans. (2020) microPublication Biology. 10.17912/micropub.biology.000249.

Qiu, Z., Sheesley, P., Ahn, J., Yu, EJ., Lee, M. “A novel mutation in an NPXY motif of β integrin reveals phenotypes similar to him-4/hemicentin” (2019) FRONT CELL DEV BIOL, In press. 

Kihira, S., Yu, EJ, Cunningham, J., Cram, EJ., Lee, M. “A novel mutation in β integrin reveals an integrin-mediated interaction between the extracellular matrix and cki-1/p27KIP1.” (2012) PLoS One, 7(8):e42425.

Xu, X., Ahn, J., Tam, P., Yu, E., Batra, S., Cram, E., and Lee, M., (2010) Analysis of conserved residues in the βpat-3 cytoplasmic tail reveals important functions of integrin in multiple tissues. Dev. Dyn. Vol. 239: 763-772.

Lee, M., Cram, E. (2009) Quantitative analysis of distal tip cell migration in C. elegans. Dale Hereld and Tian Jin, eds., Methods in Molecular Biology: Chemotaxis, Vol. 571; 125-136, Humana Press, New York, NY.

Xu, X., Guo, H., Wycuff, D., and Lee, M., (2007) Role of phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5’ kinase (ppk-1) in ovulation of Caenorhabditis elegans. Exp. Cell Res., Vol. 313: 2465-2475.

Xu, X., Rongali, S. C., Miles, J. P., Lee, K. D., and Lee, M., (2006) pat-4/ILK and unc-112/hMig-2 are required for gonad function of Caenorhabditis elegans. Exp. Cell Res., Vol. 312: 1475-1483.

Lee, M., Shen, B., Schwarzbauer, J. E., Ahn, J., and Kwon, J., (2005) Connections between integrins and Rac GTPase pathways control gonad formation and function in C. elegans. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, Vol. 1723: 248-255.

Xu, X., Lee, D., Shih, H. Y., Seo, S., Ahn, J., and Lee, M., (2005) Linking integrin to IP3 signaling is important for ovulation in Caenorhabditis elegans. FEBS letters, Vol. 579: 549-553.