Professor Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry Life Science Bldg. Room 142 University of Idaho Moscow, Idaho 83844-3052 Phone: (208) 885-7247 Fax: (208) 885-6518 E-mail: bmiller@uidaho.edu Ph.D., 1981, Department of Plant Physiology, University of California - Davis RESEARCH INTERESTS: Reproductive Genetics, Meiosis, Gameotogenesis RESEARCH SUMMARY: Research focuses on the reproductive biology of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. This organism, along with Neurospora crassa and the budding and fission yeasts, has long been an important model organism used in classical genetic analysis. A. nidulans has provided many firsts in our understanding of genetic mechanisms controlling multicellular development and the regulation of cell polarity and cell cycle. We expect to find novel mechanisms that trigger sexual reproduction, meiosis and gametogenesis in this important class of fungi. In addition, we are investigating the function of DopA (Dopey), a novel protein conserved thorughout all eucaryotes. This protein is essential for cell polarity and null mutants are lethal in A. nidulans, budding yeast and C. elegans. Based upon localization studies and upon genetic and phnotyic proteomic analysis, this large protein may play a role that links signal transduction, the endomembrane system and the establisment of cell polarity.   PUBLICATIONS: Galagan JE, Calvo SE, Cuomo C, Ma LJ, Wortman JR, Batzoglou S, Lee SI, Basturkmen M, Spevak CC, Clutterbuck J, Kapitonov V, Jurka J, Scazzocchio C, Farman M, Butler J, Purcell S, Harris S, Braus GH, Draht O, Busch S, D'Enfert C, Bouchier C, Goldman GH, Bell-Pedersen D, Griffiths-Jones S, Doonan JH, Yu J, Vienken K, Pain A, Freitag M, Selker EU, Archer DB, Penalva MA,Oakley BR, Momany M, Tanaka T, Kumagai T, Asai K, Machida M, Nierman WC, Denning DW, Caddick M, Hynes M, Paoletti M, Fischer R, Miller B, Dyer P, Sachs MS, Osmani SA, Birren BW.2005. Sequencing of Aspergillus nidulans and comparative analysis with A. fumigatus and A. oryzae. Nature 438: 1105-1115. Nierman WC, Pain A, Anderson MJ, Wortman JR, Kim HS, Arroyo J, Berriman M, Abe K, Archer DB, Bermejo C, Bennett J, Bowyer P, Chen D, Collins M, Coulsen R, Davies R, Dyer PS, Farman M, Fedorova N, Fedorova N, Feldblyum TV, Fischer R, Fosker N, Fraser A, Garcia JL, Garcia MJ, Goble A, Goldman GH, Gomi K, Griffith-Jones S, Gwilliam R, Haas B, Haas H, Harris D, Horiuchi H, Huang J, Humphray S, Jimenez J, Keller N, Khouri H, Kitamoto K, Kobayashi T, Konzack S, Kulkarni R, Kumagai T, Lafon A, Latge JP, Li W, Lord A, Lu C, Majoros WH, May GS, Miller BL, Mohamoud Y, Molina M, Monod M, Mouyna I, Mulligan S, Murphy L, O'Neil S, Paulsen I, Penalva MA, Pertea M, Price C, Pritchard BL, Quail MA, Rabbinowitsch E, Rawlins N, Rajandream MA, Reichard U, Renauld H, Robson GD, Rodriguez de Cordoba S, Rodriguez-Pena JM, Ronning CM, Rutter S, Salzberg SL, Sanchez M, Sanchez-Ferrero JC,Saunders D, Seeger K, Squares R, Squares S, Takeuchi M, Tekaia F, Turner G, Vazquez de Aldana CR, Weidman J, White O, Woodward J, Yu JH, Fraser C, Galagan JE, Asai K, Machida M, Hall N, Barrell B,Denning DW. 2005. Genomic sequence of the pathogenic and allergenic filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Nature 438: 1151-1156. Pascon, R.C., Pizirani-Kleiner, A. A. and Miller, B. L. (2001) The Aspergillus nidulans bncA1 mutation causes defects in the cell division cycle, nuclear movement and developmental morphogenesis. Molecular and General Genetics 264:546-554. Pascon, R. C. and Miller, B.L. (2000) Morphogenesis in Asergillus nidulans requires Dope (DopA), a member of a novel family of leucine zippler-like proteins conserved from ueast to human. Molecular Microbiology 36:1250-1264. Vallim, M., Miller, K.Y. and Miller B.L. (2000) Aspergillus SteA (Sterile 12-like) is a novel homeodomain/C2/H2-Zn+2 finger transcription factor required for sexual reproduction. Molecular Microbiology 36:290-301. Stephens, K.E., Miller, K.Y. and Miller, B.L. (1999) Functional analysis of DNA sequences required for Conidium-Specific Expression of the Spoc1-c1c Gene of Aspergilluys nidulans. Fungal Genetics & Biology. 27:231-242. Dutton, J.R., Johns, S. and Miller, B.L. (1997) StuAp is a sequence-specific transciption facotr that regulates developmental complexity iin Aspergillus nidulans. Embo J. 16:5710-5721 Wu, J. and Miller, B.L. (1997) Aspergillus asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction are differentially afected by transcriptional and translational mechanisms regulating Stunted gene expression. Molecular & Cellular Biology 17:6191-6201. Busby, T.M., Miller, K.Y. and Miller, B.L. (1996) Suppression and Enhancement of Asperfillus nidulans Medusa mutation by altered dosage of the Bristle and Stunted Genes. Genetics 143:155-163. Miller, B.L. (1993) Brushing up on bristles: complex genes and morphogenesis in mods. Trends in Genetics 9:293-295.