Tonia Von Ohlen

239B Chalmers Hall
(785) 532-6149
tonia@ksu.edu

Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology Web

Research Focus

My research focuses on the use of genetics and molecular biology to address the questions of patterning and cell fate determination within the Drosophila embryonic nervous system. Specifically I am interested in subdivision of the central nervous system along the dorsal ventral axis. This requires the integration of multiple signaling pathways with homeodomain transcription factors to specify distinct domains with in the CNS.

Selected Research Publications

Von Ohlen, T., and C. Moses. 2009. Identification of Ind transcription activation and repression domains required for dorsoventral patterning of the CNS. Mech Dev 126: 552-562.

Huanqing Z., L-J Syu, V. Modica, T. Von Ohlen, and D.M. Mellerick. 2008. The Drosophila homeodomain transcription factor, Vnd, associates with a variety of co-factors, is extensively phosphorylated, and forms multiple complexes in embryos. FEBS Journal 275: 5062-5073.

Fedrow A, T.L. Von Ohlen, D.Boyle, R. Ganta, S.K. Chape.s 2008. Drosophila S2 Cells as a model for studying Ehrilchia chaffeensis infections. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 74: 1886-1891.

Bonds, M., J. Sands, W. Poulson, C. Harvey, and T.L. Von Ohlen. 2007. A genetic screen for regulators of ind expression identifies shrew as encoding a novel twisted gastrulation-like protein involved in Dpp signaling. Dev Dyn 236: 3524-3531

Von Ohlen, T., C. Harvey, M. Panda. 2007. Identification of an upstream regulatory element reveals a novel requirement for Ind activity in maintaining ind expression. Mech Dev 124: 230-236.

Von Ohlen T., Syu, L-J, and Mellerick, D.M.  2007.  Conserved properties of the Drosophila homeodomain protein, Ind.  Mech Dev 124:925-934.

Cheesman, S.E., T. Von Ohlen, M.J. Layden, C.Q. Doe, and J.S. Eisen.  2004.  Zebrafish and fly Nkx6 proteins are expressed in similar CNS domains and can induce motorneurons.  Development 131: 5221-5232.

Cornell, R. and T. Von Ohlen.  2000.  Vnd, ind and msh: conserved regulators of dorsoventral neural patterning?  Current Op. Neuro 10: 63-71.

Von Ohlen, T. and C.Q. Doe.  2000.  Convergence of Dorsal, Dpp and Egfr signaling pathways subdivides the Drosophila embryonic neurectoderm into three dorsal-ventral columns.  Dev. Bio. 224: 362-372.

Von Ohlen, T. and J.E. Hooper.  1999. The ciD mutation encodes a chimeric protein whose activity is regulated by Wingless signaling. Dev Bio 208: 147-156.

Weiss, J. B., T. Von Ohlen, D. Mellerick, G. Dressler, C.Q.Doe, and M.P. Scott.  1998.  Dorsoventral patterning in the Drosophila Central Nervous System: The intermediate neuroblasts defective Homeobox gene specifies intermediate column identity.  Genes Dev12: 3591-3602.

 Von Ohlen, T., D. Lessing, R. Nusse, and J.E. Hooper.  1997.  Hedgehog signaling regulates transcription through Cubitus Interruptus, a sequence specific DNA binding protein.  PNAS 94: 2404-2409.

Alcedo, J., M. Ayzenzon, T. Von Ohlen, M. Noll, and J.E. Hooper.  1996.  The Drosophila smoothened gene encodes a seven-pass membrane protein, a putative receptor for the Hedgehog signal.  Cell 86: 221-232.  

Von Ohlen, T. and J. E. Hooper.  1997.  Hedgehog signaling regulates transcription through Gli/Ci binding sites in the wingless enhancer.  Mech Dev 68: 149-156.