Rong Liu, PhD

Research Interests

*Currently accepting undergraduate and graduate researchers for Fall of 2022

• Function and regulation of cytoskeletal motors
• Motors in sensory transduction and disease

Description of Research

Molecular motors are nano-engines that utilize chemical energy (ATP) in cells to generate mechanical force and motion. By dynamically interacting with the cytoskeleton, they power a wide variety of cellular processes from muscle contraction to cell division, to translating external stimuli (e.g., light, sound) into appropriate intracellular signals. Defects in motor proteins are implicated in numerous human diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, as well as hearing and vision losses.

The goal of our lab is to understand how these motor proteins function at the molecular level, with an emphasis on their roles in neurosensory cells (the hair cells & photoreceptor neurons). More specifically, we aim to determine how myosin motors transport hair bundle proteins and ultimately control the morphology and mechanotransduction of hair cell stereocilia. We are also investigating how kinesin motors drive the molecular trafficking within photoreceptor neurons.

To study these processes, we take a bottom-up reconstitution approach and integrate this with advanced microscopy and single molecule techniques. Combined with structural biology and live-cell imaging, these studies provide essential information across scales on the mechanisms by which molecular motors power development and self-organization of neurosensory cells. Because of the fundamental roles played by motor proteins in a large number of cellular functions, these studies will not only shed light on the molecular mechanism of sensory processes, but also have far reaching implications in human health and disease. 

Publications

2022 

Hannaford MR, Liu R, Billington N, Swider ZT, Galletta BJ, Fagerstrom CJ, Combs C, Sellers JR, Rusan NM. Pericentrin interacts with kinesin-1 to drive centriole motility. J Cell Biol. 2022 Sep 5;221(9):e202112097

2021 

Liu R, Billington N, Yang Y, Bond C, Hong A, Siththanandan V, Takagi Y & Sellers JR. A binding protein regulates myosin-7a dimerization and actin bundle assembly. Nat Commun. Jan 25; 12(1): 563.  Article of recommendation: Faculty Opinions

Nishimura Y, Shi S, Zhang F, Liu R, Takagi Y, Bershadsky AD, Viasnoff V & Sellers JR. The formin inhibitor, SMIFH2, inhibits members of the myosin superfamily. J Cell Sci. Feb 23: jcs.253708. Article of recommendation: Faculty Opinions

2020  

Lu W, Lakonishok M, Liu R, Billington N, Rich A, Glotzer M, Sellers JR & Gelfand VI. Competition between kinesin-1 and myosin-V defines Drosophila posterior determination. Elife Feb 14;9.

Pal K, Nowak R, Billington N, Liu R, Ghosh A, Sellers JR & Fowler VM. Megakaryocyte migration defects due to nonmuscle myosin IIA mutations underly thrombocytopenia in MYH9-related disease. Blood May 21;135 Media coverage: Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News; UDaily

2018 

Plazyo O, Liu R, Moazzem Hossain M & Jin JP. Deletion of calponin 2 attenuates the development of calcific aortic valve disease in ApoE(-/-) mice. J Mol Cell Cardiol 121, 233-241.

2017  

Liu R, Hossain MM, Chen X & Jin JP. Mechanoregulation of SM22a/Transgelin. Biochemistry 56, 5526-5538.

2016  

Liu R, & Jin JP. Calponin isoforms CNN1, CNN2 and CNN3: Regulators for actin cytoskeleton functions in smooth muscle and non-muscle cells. Gene. 585, 143-153.

Liu R & Jin JP. Deletion of calponin 2 in macrophages alters cytoskeleton-based functions and attenuates the development of atherosclerosis. J Mol Cell Cardiol  99, 87-99. Journal cover: October 2016, Volume 99

2015 

Liu R & Jin JP. Calponin: A mechanical tension-modulated regulator of cytoskeleton and cell motility. Curr Top Biochem Res, Invited Review, 16 pp. 1–15.

2014  

Liu R, Feng HZ & Jin JP. Physiological contractility of cardiomyocytes in the wall of mouse and rat azygos vein. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 306, C697-704.

2012  

Wang F, Zhao XQ, Liu JN, Wang ZH, Wang XL, Hou XY, Liu R, Gao F, Zhang MX, Zhang Y, & Bu PL. Antagonist of microRNA-21 improves balloon injury-induced rat iliac artery remodeling by regulating proliferation and apoptosis of adventitial fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. J Cell Biochem 113: 2989-3001.

2011  

Liu R, Wang X., & Bu P. Omentin-1 is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in patients with metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 93: 21-25.