Robert H. Insall

Loss of DictyosteliumHSPC300 causes a scar-like phenotype and loss of SCAR protein (2009)

Pollitt, Alice Y, Insall, Robert H

Abstract Background SCAR/WAVE proteins couple signalling to actin polymerization, and are thus fundamental to the formation of pseudopods and lamellipods. They are controlled as part of a...

Replacement of the essential DictyosteliumArp2 gene by its Entamoebahomologue using parasexual genetics (2007)

Zaki, Mehreen, King, Jason, Fütterer, Klaus, Insall, Robert H

Abstract Background Cell motility is an essential feature of the pathogenesis and morbidity of amoebiasis caused by Entamoeba histolytica . As motility depends on cytoskeletal organisation and...

Cyclic AMP signalling in Dictyostelium: G-proteins activate separate Ras pathways using specific RasGEFs (2007)

Kae, Helmut, Kortholt, Arjan, Rehmann, Holger, Insall, Robert H., Spiegelman, George B., ...

In general, mammalian Ras guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RasGEFs) show little substrate specificity, although they are often thought to regulate specific pathways. Here, we provide in vitro and...

The Dictyosteliumgenome encodes numerous RasGEFs with multiple biological roles (2005)

Wilkins, Andrew, Szafranski, Karol, Fraser, Derek J, Bakthavatsalam, Deenadayalan, Müller, Rolf, Fisher, Paul R, ...

Abstract Background Dictyostelium discoideum is a eukaryote with a simple lifestyle and a relatively small genome whose sequence has been fully determined. It is widely used for studies on cell...

Gdt2 regulates the transition of Dictyosteliumcells from growth to differentiation (2004)

Chibalina, Margarita V, Anjard, Christophe, Insall, Robert H

Abstract Background Dictyostelium life cycle consists of two distinct phases – growth and development. The control of growth-differentiation transition in Dictyostelium is not completely...

Parasexual genetics of Dictyosteliumgene disruptions: identification of a ras pathway using diploids (2003)

King, Jason, Insall, Robert H

Abstract Background The relative ease of targeted gene disruption in the social amoeba Dictyostelium has stimulated its widespread use as an experimental organism for cell and developmental biology....

Linked regulation of motility and integrin function in activated migrating neutrophils revealed by interference in remodelling of the cytoskeleton. (2003)

Anderson, Stephen I., Behrendt, Barbara, Machesky, Laura M., Insall, Robert H., Nash, Gerard B.

Neutrophils migrate rapidly by co-ordinating regulation of their beta2-integrin adhesion with turnover of filamentous F-actin. The seven-protein Arp2/3 complex regulates actin polymerisation upon...

Ca2+ signalling is not required for chemotaxis in Dictyostelium

Traynor, David, Milne, Jacqueline L.S., Insall, Robert H., Kay, Robert R.

Dictyostelium cells can move rapidly towards a source of cyclic-AMP (cAMP). This chemoattractant is detected by G-protein-linked receptors, which trigger a signalling cascade including a rapid influx...

Dictyostelium RasD is required for normal phototaxis, but not differentiation

Wilkins, Andrew, Khosla, Meenal, Fraser, Derek J., Spiegelman, George B., Fisher, Paul R., Weeks, Gerald, ...

RasD, a Dictyostelium homolog of mammalian Ras, is maximally expressed during the multicellular stage of development. Normal Dictyostelium aggregates are phototactic and thermotactic, moving towards...

The Dictyostelium genome encodes numerous RasGEFs with multiple biological roles

Wilkins, Andrew, Szafranski, Karol, Fraser, Derek J, Bakthavatsalam, Deenadayalan, Müller, Rolf, Fisher, Paul R, ...

A survey of the Dictyostelium genome reveals at least 25 RasGEFs, all of which appear to be expressed at some point in development. Disruption of several of these novel RasGEFs reveals that many have...

Ca2+ signalling is not required for chemotaxis in Dictyostelium

Traynor, David, Milne, Jacqueline L.S., Insall, Robert H., Kay, Robert R.

Dictyostelium cells can move rapidly towards a source of cyclic-AMP (cAMP). This chemoattractant is detected by G-protein-linked receptors, which trigger a signalling cascade including a rapid influx...

Dictyostelium RasD is required for normal phototaxis, but not differentiation

Wilkins, Andrew, Khosla, Meenal, Fraser, Derek J., Spiegelman, George B., Fisher, Paul R., Weeks, Gerald, ...

RasD, a Dictyostelium homolog of mammalian Ras, is maximally expressed during the multicellular stage of development. Normal Dictyostelium aggregates are phototactic and thermotactic, moving towards...

The Dictyostelium genome encodes numerous RasGEFs with multiple biological roles

Wilkins, Andrew, Szafranski, Karol, Fraser, Derek J, Bakthavatsalam, Deenadayalan, Müller, Rolf, Fisher, Paul R, ...

A survey of the Dictyostelium genome reveals at least 25 RasGEFs, all of which appear to be expressed at some point in development. Disruption of several of these novel RasGEFs reveals that many have...

RacG Regulates Morphology, Phagocytosis, and Chemotaxis▿ †

Somesh, Baggavalli P., Vlahou, Georgia, Iijima, Miho, Insall, Robert H., Devreotes, Peter, Rivero, Francisco

RacG is an unusual member of the complex family of Rho GTPases in Dictyostelium. We have generated a knockout (KO) strain, as well as strains that overexpress wild-type (WT), constitutively active...

Entamoeba histolytica cell movement: A central role for self-generated chemokines and chemorepellents

Zaki, Mehreen, Andrew, Natalie, Insall, Robert H.

Entamoeba histolytica cells, the cause of amoebic dysentery, are highly motile, and this motility is an essential feature of the pathogenesis and morbidity of amoebiasis. However, the control of E....

Cyclic AMP signalling in Dictyostelium: G-proteins activate separate Ras pathways using specific RasGEFs

Kae, Helmut, Kortholt, Arjan, Rehmann, Holger, Insall, Robert H, Spiegelman, George B, ...

In general, mammalian Ras guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RasGEFs) show little substrate specificity, although they are often thought to regulate specific pathways. Here, we provide in vitro and...

Dictyostelium RasG Is Required for Normal Motility and Cytokinesis, But Not Growth

Tuxworth, Richard I., Cheetham, Janet L., Machesky, Laura M., Spiegelmann, George B., Weeks, Gerald, Insall, Robert H.

RasG is the most abundant Ras protein in growing Dictyostelium cells and the closest relative of mammalian Ras proteins. We have generated null mutants in which expression of RasG is completely...