Dr. Patricia Melloy

Courses taught at FDU

Cell Biology
Cell Biology of Cancer
Cell Signaling
Science Scholars Seminar

Research Interests

The focus of research in my laboratory is the cell biology of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (also known as brewer’s or baker’s yeast). Many cellular processes occur in both yeast and human cells, and are controlled by similar genes. One advantage of budding yeast as a model system is the speed and ease of creating genetic mutants to study different cellular events. We can study the genes regulating cellular processes in yeast, and then apply our knowledge of gene functions and genetic interactions to studies of human disease.

We are specifically interested in the regulation of nuclear envelope membrane dynamics during cell division, as well as the changes in the nuclear envelope taking place during other stages of the yeast life cycle, such as yeast mating. We are working to identify genes involved in controlling nuclear envelope fission, and to learn how nuclear envelope fission is coordinated with other cell division events.

Education

Postdoctoral training, Princeton University, Molecular Biology
Ph. D., University of Pennsylvania, Cell and Molecular Biology
M.S., Villanova University, Biology
B. S., Loyola College (MD), Biology

Selected publications

Melloy, P., Shen, S., White, E. and M. D. Rose. 2009. Distinct roles for key karyogamy proteins during yeast nuclear fusion. Molecular Biology of the Cell 20: 3773-3782.

Melloy, P., Shen, S., White, E., McIntosh, J.R., and M.D. Rose. 2007. Nuclear fusion during yeast mating occurs by a three-step pathway. Journal of Cell Biology 179: 659-670.

Melloy, P.G. and S.L. Holloway. 2004. Changes in the localization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae anaphase-promoting complex upon microtubule depolymerization and spindle checkpoint activation. Genetics 167: 1079-1094.

Meyn III, M.A., Melloy, P.G., Li, J., and S.L. Holloway. 2002. The destruction box of the cyclin Clb2p binds the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome subunit Cdc23p. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 407: 189-195.

Recent conference presentations

Melloy, P., Shen, S., White, E., McIntosh, J. R., and M. D. Rose. 2007. Distinct roles for key karyogamy proteins in nuclear fusion. Yeast Cell Biology. Aug. 15-19. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.

Melloy, P., Shen, S., White, E., Winey, M., McIntosh, J.R., and M. Rose. 2006. Following the steps of nuclear envelope fusion in budding yeast. Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology (Genetics Society of America). July 25-30. Princeton, NJ.

Melloy, P. and M. Rose. 2006. Following nuclear envelope fission in budding yeast. Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology (Genetics Society of America). July 25-30. Princeton, NJ.