Research
General Information
ZIRC
ZFIN ID: ZDB-LAB-001113-2
Nicolson Lab
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Oregon Hearing and Research Center and Vollum Institute
Oregon Health & Science University
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road
Portland, Oregon 97239
USA
Contact Info:
Contact Person: Nicolson, Teresa
Phone: (503) 494-2928
Fax: (503) 494-9612
Email: nicolson@ohsu.edu
URL: http://www.hhmi.org/research/investigators/nicolson.html
Line Designation: vo 		Lab Members:
Nicolson, Teresa , PI/Director
Glover, Greta , Post-Doc
Kindt, Katie , Post-Doc
Sheets, Lavinia , Post-Doc
Trapani, Josef , Post-Doc
Clemens-Grisham, Rachel , Graduate Student
Einhorn, Zev , Graduate Student
Mo, Weike , Graduate Student
Finch, Gabe , Research Staff
Govada, Sireesha , Research Staff
Edelen, Norm , Fish Facility Staff
Hayashi, Lisa , Fish Facility Staff
Than, Lieu , Technical Staff
Statement of Research Interests:

Defects in sensory hair cells are thought to account for most forms of hereditary deafness. We aim to identify the components involved in hair-cell function by using a genetic approach. By screening over 7000 genomes (Tuebingen Screens I & II), we have identified a total of 24 genes that are required for balance and hearing in zebrafish. These circler mutants are analogous to the mouse shaker-waltzer mutants and can serve as alternative models for the study of human deafness. We are currently developing new ways of analyzing our mutants such stably expressing hair-cell specific markers, creating behavioral tests for auditory and vestibular function, and measuring physiological responses in hair cells and acousticolateralis nerves.

Zebrafish Publications of Lab members :
Wright, M.A., Mo, W., Nicolson, T., and Ribera, A.B. (2010) In vivo evidence for transdifferentiation of peripheral neurons. Development. 137(18):3047-3056
Trapani, J.G., Obholzer, N., Mo, W., Brockerhoff, S.E., and Nicolson, T. (2009) Synaptojanin1 is required for temporal fidelity of synaptic transmission in hair cells. PLoS Genet.. 5(5):e1000480
Obholzer, N., Wolfson, S., Trapani, J.G., Mo, W., Nechiporuk, A., Busch-Nentwich, E., Seiler, C., Sidi, S., Söllner, C., Duncan, R.N., Boehland, A., and Nicolson, T. (2008) Vesicular glutamate transporter 3 is required for synaptic transmission in zebrafish hair cells. J. Neurosci.. 28(9):2110-2118
Geisler, R., Rauch, G.J., Geiger-Rudolph, S., Albrecht, A., van Bebber, F., Berger, A., Busch-Nentwich, E., Dahm, R., Dekens, M.P., Dooley, C., Elli, A.F.,Gehring, I., Geiger, H., Geisler, M., Glaser, S., Holley, S., Huber, M., Kerr, A., Kirn, A., Knirsch, M., Konantz, M., Kuchler, A.M., Maderspacher, F., Neuhauss, S.C., Nicolson, T., Ober, E.A., Praeg, E., Ray, R., Rentzsch, B., Rick, J.M., Rief, E., Schauerte, H.E., Schepp, C.P., Schonberger, U., Schonthaler, H.B., Seiler, C., Sidi, S., Söllner, C., Wehner, A., Weiler, C., Nusslein-Volhard, C. (2007) Large-scale mapping of mutations affecting zebrafish development. BMC Genomics. 8(1):11
Sheets, L., Ransom, D.G., Mellgren, E.M., Johnson, S.L., and Schnapp, B.J. (2007) Zebrafish Melanophilin Facilitates Melanosome Dispersion by Regulating Dynein. Curr. Biol.. 17(20):1721-1734
Sheets, L. (2006) Zebrafish melanocytes as a model system to investigate intracellular transport regulation : a dissertation. Ph.D. Thesis, Oregon Health & Science University. 135p
Nicolson, T. (2005) The genetics of hearing and balance in zebrafish. Annu. Rev. Genet.. 39:9-22
Seiler, C., Finger-Baier, K.C., Rinner, O., Makhankov, Y.V., Schwarz, H., Neuhauss, S.C., and Nicolson, T. (2005) Duplicated genes with split functions: independent roles of protocadherin15 orthologues in zebrafish hearing and vision. Development. 132(3):615-623
Söllner, C., and Nicolson, T. (2005) The Zebrafish as a Genetic Model to Study Otolith Formation. Biomineralization (2nd ed.). 229-242
Busch-Nentwich, E., Söllner, C., Roehl, H., and Nicolson, T. (2004) The deafness gene dfna5 is crucial for ugdh expression and HA production in the developing ear in zebrafish. Development. 131(4):943-951
Paukert, M., Sidi, S., Russell, C., Siba, M., Wilson, S.W., Nicolson, T., and Grunder, S. (2004) A family of acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) from the zebrafish: Widespread expression in the central nervous system suggests a conserved role in neuronal communication. J. Biol. Chem.. 279(18):18783-18791
Seiler, C., Ben-David, O., Sidi, S., Hendrich, O., Rusch, A., Burnside, B., Avraham, K.B., and Nicolson, T. (2004) Myosin VI is required for structural integrity of the apical surface of sensory hair cells in zebrafish. Dev. Biol.. 272(2):328-338
Sidi, S., Busch-Nentwich, E., Friedrich, R., Schoenberger, U., and Nicolson, T. (2004) gemini encodes a zebrafish L-type calcium channel that localizes at sensory hair cell ribbon synapses. J. Neurosci.. 24(17):4213-4223
Söllner, C., Rauch, G-J., Siemens, J., Geisler, R., Schuster, S.C., The Tübingen 2000 Screen Consortium, Müller, U., and Nicolson, T. (2004) Mutations in cadherin 23 affect tip links in zebrafish sensory hair cells. Nature. 428(6986):955-959
Söllner, C., Schwarz, H., Geisler, R., and Nicolson, T. (2004) Mutated otopetrin 1 affects the genesis of otoliths and the localization of Starmaker in zebrafish. Dev. Genes Evol.. 214(12):582-590
Concha, M.L., Russell, C., Regan, J.C., Tawk, M., Sidi, S., Gilmour, D.T., Kapsimali, M., Sumoy, L., Goldstone, K., Amaya, E., Kimelman, D., Nicolson, T., Gründer, S., Gomperts, M., Clarke, J.D.W., and Wilson, S.W. (2003) Local tissue interactions across the dorsal midline of the forebrain establish CNS laterality. Neuron. 39(3):423-438
Sidi, S., Friedrich, R.W., and Nicolson, T. (2003) NompC TRP channel required for vertebrate sensory hair cell mechanotransduction. Science.. 301(5629):96-99
Söllner, C., Burghammer, M., Busch-Nentwich, E., Berger, J., Schwarz, H., Riekel, C., and Nicolson, T. (2003) Control of crystal size and lattice formation by starmaker in otolith biomineralization. Science.. 302(5643):282-286
Ernest, S., Rauch, G.J., Haffter, P., Geisler, R., Petit, C., and Nicolson, T. (2000) Mariner is defective in myosin VIIA: a zebrafish model for human hereditary deafness. Hum. Mol. Genet.. 9(14):2189-2196
Nicolson, T., Ernest, S., Rauch, J., Petit, C., Söllner, C., Seiler, C., and Busch, E. (2000) Isolation of the genes responsible for hearing disorders in zebrafish. Eur. J. Neurosci.. 12:316
Geisler, R., Rauch, G.J., Baier, H., van Bebber, F., Brobeta, L., Dekens, M.P., Finger, K., Fricke, C., Gates, M.A., Geiger, H., Geiger-Rudolph, S., Gilmour, D., Glaser, S., Gnugge, L., Habeck, H., Hingst, K., Holley, S., Keenan, J., Kirn, A., Knaut, H., Lashkari, D., Maderspacher, F., Martyn, U., Neuhauss, S., Neumann, C., Nicolson, T., Pelegri, F., Ray, R., Rick, J.M., Roehl, H., Roeser, T., Schauerte, H.E., Schier, A.F., Schönberger, U., Schönthaler, H.-B., Schulte-Merker, S., Seydler, C., Talbot, W.S., Weiler, C., Nüsslein-Volhard, C., and Haffter, P. (1999) A radiation hybrid map of the zebrafish genome. Nat. Genet.. 23(1):86-89
Seiler, C. and Nicolson, T. (1999) Defective calmodulin-dependent rapid apical endocytosis in zebrafish sensory hair cell mutants. J. Neurobiol.. 41(3):424-434
Nicolson, T., Rüsch, A., Friedrich, R.W., Granato, M., Ruppersberg, J.P., and Nüsslein-Volhard, C. (1998) Genetic analysis of vertebrate sensory hair cell mechanosensation: the zebrafish circler mutants. Neuron. 20:271-283