Nuclear Receptor Signaling  

The experimental questions that I am addressing concern the molecular players and mechanisms through which hormones regulate the developmental programs of gene expression that control cellular commitment. The model system in which I experimentally dissect these mechanisms is the program of metamorphic transition of insect tissues from the immature to the adult state of differentiation, as controlled by the nuclear action of (retinoid-like) juvenile hormone and (the steroidal) ecdysteroids. In these investigations I employ the pertinent techniques that are needed to address the particular mechanistic question at issue, ranging from molecular and biochemical to genetic and germline transformation approaches. My recent studies have attended the structure and molecular interactions of hormone receptors with other transcription factors, including the basal transcription apparatus, in transduction of the ligand-binding signal.

• Fang F, Xu Y, Jones D, Jones G. (2005) Interactions of ultraspiracle with ecdysone receptor in the transduction of ecdysone- and juvenile hormone-signaling. FEBS J. 2005 Apr;272(7):1577-89.
• Wozniak M, Chu Y, Fang F, Xu Y, Riddiford L, Jones D, Jones G. (2004) Alternative farnesoid structures induce different conformational outcomes upon the Drosophila ortholog of the retinoid X receptor, ultraspiracle.Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 34, 1147-62.  
• Xu Y, Fang F, Ludewig G, Jones G., Jones D. (2004) A mutation found in the promoter region of the human survivin gene is correlated to overexpression of survivin in cancer cells. DNA Cell Biol. 23, 527-37.
• Xu Y, Fang F, Chu Y, Jones D, Jones G. (2002) Activation of transcription through the ligand-binding pocket of the orphan nuclear receptor ultraspiracle. Eur J Biochem. 269, 6026-36.
• Jones, G., Wozniak, M., Chu, X. Y., Dhar, S., and Jones, D. (2001) Juvenile Hormone III - Dependent Confirmational Changes of the Nuclear Receptor Ultraspiracle. Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. 32, 33-49.
• Jiang, X., Wilford, C., Duensing, S., Munger, K., Jones, G., Jones, D. Participation of Survivin in mitotic and apoptotic activities of normal and tumor-derived cells. J Biol Chem. 83, 342-54.
• Jones, G., Jones, D., Zhou. L., Stellar, H., and Chu, Y. X. (2000) Deterin, a New Inhibitor of Apoptosis from Drosophila melanogaster. J. Biol. Chem. 29, 22157-22165.
• Jones, G., Jones, D. 2000. Considerations on the structural evidence of a ligand -binding function of ultraspiracle, an insect homolog of vertebrate RXR. Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol, 671-79.
• Jones G, Chu YX, Schelling D, Jones D. 2000. Regulation of the juvenile hormone esterase gene by a composite core promoter. Biochem J. 346, 233-40.
• Jones G, Manczak M, Schelling D, Turner H, Jones D. 1998. Transcription of the juvenile hormone esterase gene under the control of both an initiator and AT-rich motif. Biochem J. 335, 79-84.
• Jones, G., Sharp PA (1997) Ultraspiracle: an invertebrate nuclear receptor for juvenile hormones. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94 :13499-13503.
• Jones, G., O'Mahony P, Chang S, Schachtschabel U (1996) Identification of regulatory sequences of juvenile hormone-sensitive and -insensitive serum protein-encoding genes Gene 16:209-214.
• Jones, G. (1995) Molecular mechanisms of action of juvenile hormone. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 40:147-170.
• Schelling, D. and Jones, G. (1995) Functional identification of the transcription start site and the core promoter of the juvenile hormone esterase gene in Trichoplusia ni. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 218: 286-294.
• Venkataraman, V., O'Mahony, P. J., Manczak, and Jones, G. (1994) Regulation of juvenile hormone esterase gene transcription by juvenile hormone. Develop Genetics 15:391-400.
• Jones, G., Manczak M, Horn, M (1993) Hormonal Regulation and Properties of a New Group of Basic Hemolymph Proteins Expressed During Insect Metamorphosis. J Biol Chem 268:1284-1291.