Richard Fehon

Our interests center on the molecular mechanisms by which signal transduction pathways are organized into specialized membrane domains. In addition to their known role in organizing receptors and downstream effectors into functional signaling complexes, such organized complexes function to integrate signaling activities from multiple pathways and to segregate simultaneous but distinct functions of a single pathway. We study this question in Drosophila because of the utility of this system for studying the functions of individual genes via mutagenesis, and for examining the functional interactions between different genes that work together in a particular cellular or developmental process.

Our interests center on the molecular mechanisms by which signal transduction pathways are organized into specialized membrane domains. In addition to their known role in organizing receptors and downstream effectors into functional signaling complexes, such organized complexes function to integrate signaling activities from multiple pathways and to segregate simultaneous but distinct functions of a single pathway. We study this question in Drosophila because of the utility of this system for studying the functions of individual genes via mutagenesis, and for examining the functional interactions between different genes that work together in a particular cellular or developmental process.

McClatchey and Fehon. Merlin and the ERM proteins--regulators of receptor distribution and signaling at the cell cortex. Trends Cell Biol (2009) vol. 19 (5) pp. 198-206  Abstract

Neisch, A. and Fehon, R.G. (2008). FERMing up the plasma membrane. Dev. Cell 14, 154-156.   Abstract

Hughes SC, Fehon RG. (2007). Understanding ERM proteins--the awesome power of genetics finally brought to bear. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 19, 51-6.   Abstract

Li Q, Nance MR, Kulikauskas R, Nyberg K, Fehon R, Karplus PA, Bretscher A, and Tesmer J. (2007). Self-masking in an intact ERM-merlin protein: an active role for the central alpha-helical domain. J. Mol. Biol. 365, 1446-59.  Abstract

Cho E, Feng Y, Rauskolb C, Maitra S, Fehon R, Irvine KD. (2006). Delineation of a Fat tumor suppressor pathway. Nat Genet. 38, 1142-1150  Abstract

Hughes, S.C. and Fehon, R.G. (2006). Phosphorylation and activity of the tumor-suppressor Merlin and the ERM protein Moesin are coordinately regulated by the Slik kinase. J. Cell Biol. 175, 305-313.  Abstract

Fehon, R. (2006). Polarity bites. Nature 442, 519-520.  Abstract

Maitra, S., Kulikauskas, R., Solari, H., and Fehon, R.G. (2006). Redundant roles for Merlin and Expanded in modulating signaling pathways that regulate proliferation. Curr. Biol. 16, 702-709.  Abstract

Genova, J.L. and Fehon, R.G., (2003). Neuroglian, Gliotactin, and the Na+/K+ ATPase are essential for septate junction function in Drosophila. J. Cell Biol. 161, 979-989   Abstract

Speck, O., Hughes, S.C., Noren, N.K., Kulikauskas, R.M., and Fehon, R.G., (2003). Moesin functions antagonistically to the Rho pathway to maintain epithelial integrity. Nature 421, 83-87.  Abstract

Bretscher, A., Edwards, K, and Fehon, R.G., (2002). ERM proteins and Merlin: Integrators at the cell cortex. Nature Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 3, 747-784  Abstract

Tepass, U., Tanentzapf, G., Ward, R., and Fehon, R., (2001). Epithelial cell polarity and cell junctions in Drosophila. Ann. Rev. Genet. 35, 747-784.  Abstract

McClatchey and Fehon. Merlin and the ERM proteins--regulators of receptor distribution and signaling at the cell cortex. Trends Cell Biol (2009) vol. 19 (5) pp. 198-206  Abstract

Neisch, A. and Fehon, R.G. (2008). FERMing up the plasma membrane. Dev. Cell 14, 154-156.   Abstract

Hughes SC, Fehon RG. (2007). Understanding ERM proteins--the awesome power of genetics finally brought to bear. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 19, 51-6.   Abstract

Li Q, Nance MR, Kulikauskas R, Nyberg K, Fehon R, Karplus PA, Bretscher A, and Tesmer J. (2007). Self-masking in an intact ERM-merlin protein: an active role for the central alpha-helical domain. J. Mol. Biol. 365, 1446-59.  Abstract

Cho E, Feng Y, Rauskolb C, Maitra S, Fehon R, Irvine KD. (2006). Delineation of a Fat tumor suppressor pathway. Nat Genet. 38, 1142-1150  Abstract