Carol L. Dieckmann
Professor of Biochemistry, and Molecular & Cellular Biology
Ph.D. 1980, University of California, San Diego

Organelle Biogenesis

Research Interests

The general focus in this lab is on understanding the coordination of organelle/host cell interactions. Two different systems under study are: 

• nuclear control of mitochondrial mRNA expression in yeast mitochondria,
• eyespot assembly in Chlamydomonas.
  
• The CBP1 yeast nuclear gene encodes a protein that stabilizes mitochondrial apocytochrome b mRNA. Using genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry, we are defining where and how the Cbp1 protein interacts with the RNA. We are also interested in the general turnover pathways for mitochondrial mRNAs.
  
• The eyespot in Chlamydomonas is made up of components in the chloroplast and in the plasma membrane of the cell. We are interested in how the cell controls the assembly of these components into a functional light-sensing structure. Originally isolated as part of a collection of 168 phototaxis-minus mutants, 28 mutants define four genes required for eyespot assembly. eye2 and eye3 mutants are eyespotless. min1 mutants have small eyespots and mlt1 mutants have multiple eyespots. We are trying to understand how these mutations affect eyespot assembly and function through a combination of molecular genetics and light and electron microscopy.

Recent Publications

Roberts, D. W. G., M.R. Lamb, and C.L. Dieckmann. 2001. Characterization of the EYE2 gene required for eyespot assembly in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Genetics 158: 1037-1049.

Islas-Osuna, M. A., T.P. Ellis, L.L. Marnell, T.M. Mittelmeier, and C.L. Dieckmann. 2002. Cbp1 is required for translation of the mitochondrial cytochrome b mRNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 37987-37990.

Dieckmann, C. L. 2003. Eyespot placement and assembly in the green alga Chlamydomonas. BioEssays 25, 410-416.

Helfenbein, K. G., Ellis, T. P., Dieckmann, C. L. and Tzagoloff, A. 2003. ATP22, a nuclear gene required for expression of the F0 sector of mitochondrial ATPase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J. Biol. Chem. 278, 19751-19756.

Islas-Osuna, M. A., Ellis, T. P., Mittelmeier, T. M. And Dieckmann, C. L. 2003. Suppressor mutations define two regions in the Cbp1 protein important for mitochondrial cytochrome b mRNA stability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Current Genetics 43, 327-336.

Ellis, T. P., Helfenbein, K. G., Tzagoloff, A. and Dieckmann, C. L. 2004. Aep3p stabilizes the mitochondrial bicistronic mRNA encoding subunits 6 and 8 of the H+-translocating ATP synthase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J. Biol. Chem. 279, 15728-15733.

Krause, K., Lopes De Souza, R., Roberts, D. G., Dieckmann, C. L. 2004. The mitochondrial message-specific mRNA protectors Cbp1 and Pet309 are associated in a high-molecular weight complex. Mol. Biol. Cell. 15, 2674-2683.

Tzagoloff, A. and Dieckmann, C. L. 2004. Nuclear genes in mitochondrial function and biogenesis. In: Encyclopedia of Biol. Chem. 3, 100-104.

Schonauer, M. S. and Dieckmann, C. L. 2004. Mitochondrial genomics and proteomics. Curr. Genomics 5, 575-588.

Krause, K. and Dieckmann, C. L. 2004. Analysis of transcription asymmetries along the tRNAE-COB operon: evidence for transcription attenuation and rapid RNA degradation between coding sequences. Nucleic Acids Res. 32, 6276-6283.

Ellis, T. P., Schonauer, M. S. and Dieckmann, C. L. (2005) CBT1 interacts genetically with CBP1 and the mitochondrially encoded cytochrome b gene and is required to stabilize the mature cytochrome b mRNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 171, 949-957. PMID 16118200

Renniger, S., Dieckmann, C. L. and Kreimer, G. (2006) Toward a protein map of the green algal eyespot: analysis of eyespot globule-associated proteins. Phycologia 45, 199-212. No PMID

Merchant, S. S. et al. (Mittelmeier, T. M. and Dieckmann, C. L. are authors on this multi-author paper) (2007) The Chlamydomonas genome reveals the evolution of key animal and plant functions. Science 318, 245-250. PMID 17932292

Autio, K.J., Kastaniotis, A. J., Pospiech, H., Miinalainen, I. J., Schonauer, M. S., Dieckmann, C. L., Hiltunen, J. K. (2008) An ancient genetic link between vertebrate mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis and RNA processing. FASEB J. 22, 569-578. PMID 17898086

Fekete, Z., Ellis, T. P., Schonauer, M. S., Dieckmann, C. L. (2008) Pet127 governs a 5' -> 3'-exonuclease important in maturation of apocytochrome b mRNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Biol Chem 283, 3767-3772. PMID 18086665

Contact Information

Mailing:
Dr. Carol L. Dieckmann, Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
University of Arizona
Life Sciences South #454
1007 E. Lowell Street
Tucson AZ 85721-0106

Telephone: (520)621-3569, -1418
Fax: (520) 621-3709, -9288

dieckman@u.arizona.edu

Biological Sciences West
1041 East Lowell Street
P.O. Box 210088 · Tucson, AZ 85721-0088
Tel: (520) 621-5110
FAX (520) 626-9204

Life Sciences South
1007 East Lowell Street
P.O. Box 210106 · Tucson, AZ 85721-0106
FAX (520) 621-3709