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Barbara Wakimoto

Barbara Wakimoto
Professor
wakimoto@uw.edu
369 LSB
(206) 543-0487
Not accepting graduate students
Fields of interest
Cell and Molecular Biology, Development, Genetics and Genomics

Developmental Genetics, Reproductive Biology, Fertilization
Chromosome Structure, Sperm Nuclear Remodeling, Paternal Effects

The Wakimoto Lab is interested in developmental and chromosome biology and we apply genetics, genomics and cell biological approaches.

Several years ago, we carried out the largest screen for Drosophila male sterile mutations to date and characterized over 2,000 mutant lines to identify the rare classes affecting sperm function during fertilization and paternal effects during embryogenesis.  The investment in recovery and analysis of these male sterile mutations has been extensive, but we have identified nearly 70 genetically defined complementation groups and 10 new sperm proteins.  The majority of the molecules are uniquely expressed during spermatogenesis and required for sperm-specific procresses such as biogenesis of the acrosome, sperm activation in the egg cytoplasm, remodeling of sperm chromatin.  The analysis of these fertilization-defective and paternal effect mutants have led to new ideas about pathways required for normal sperm-egg membrane interactions and the stable maintenance of paternal chromosomes during early embryogenesis. 

Barbara Wakimoto is a Professor of Biology, an Adjunct Professor of Genome Sciences, and a member of the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program at the University of Washington.

Minotaur is critical for primary piRNA biogenesis., Vagin, Vasily V., Yu Yang, Jankowska Anna, Luo Yicheng, Wasik Kaja A., Malone Colin D., Harrison Emily, Rosebrock Adam, Wakimoto Barbara T., Fagegaltier Delphine, et al. , RNA (New York, N.Y.), 2013 Aug, Volume 19, Issue 8, p.1064-77, (2013)
Drosophila rae1 is required for male meiosis and spermatogenesis., Volpi, Silvia, Bongiorni Silvia, Fabbretti Fabiana, Wakimoto Barbara T., and Prantera Giorgio , Journal of cell science, 2013 Aug 15, Volume 126, Issue Pt 16, p.3541-51, (2013)
Retention of induced mutations in a Drosophila reverse-genetic resource., Cooper, Jennifer L., Greene Elizabeth A., Till Bradley J., Codomo Christine A., Wakimoto Barbara T., and Henikoff Steven , 2008, Volume 180, Issue 1, p. - -667, (2008)
Complex regulation and multiple developmental functions of misfire, the Drosophila melanogaster ferlin gene., Smith, Michelle K., and Wakimoto Barbara T. , 2007, Volume 7, (2007)
Oxymoron no more: the expanding world of heterochromatic genes., Yasuhara, Jiro C., and Wakimoto Barbara T. , 2006, Volume 22, Issue 6, p. - -338, (2006)
Sperm plasma membrane breakdown during Drosophila fertilization requires sneaky, an acrosomal membrane protein., Wilson, Kathleen L., Fitch Karen R., Bafus Blaine T., and Wakimoto Barbara T. , 2006, Volume 133, Issue 24, p. - -4879, (2006)
Evolution of heterochromatic genes of Drosophila., Yasuhara, Jiro C., DeCrease Christine H., and Wakimoto Barbara T. , 2005, Volume 102, Issue 31, p. - -10963, (2005)
Toward a comprehensive genetic analysis of male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster., Wakimoto, Barbara T., Lindsley Dan L., and Herrera Cheryl , 2004, Volume 167, Issue 1, p. - -216, (2004)
Genetic dissection of meiotic cytokinesis in Drosophila males., Giansanti, Maria Grazia, Farkas Rebecca M., Bonaccorsi Silvia, Lindsley Dan L., Wakimoto Barbara T., Fuller Margaret T., and Gatti Maurizio , 2004, Volume 15, Issue 5, p. - -2522, (2004)
Heterochromatic sequences in a Drosophila whole-genome shotgun assembly., Hoskins, Roger A., Smith Christopher D., Carlson Joseph W., Carvalho Bernardo A., Halpern Aaron, Kaminker Joshua S., Kennedy Cameron, Mungall Chris J., Sullivan Beth A., Sutton Granger G., et al. , 2002, Volume 3, Issue 12, (2002)
The teflon gene is required for maintenance of autosomal homolog pairing at meiosis I in male Drosophila melanogaster., Tomkiel, J. E., Wakimoto B. T., and Briscoe Jr A. , 2001, Volume 157, Issue 1, p. - -281, (2001)