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Biochemistry & Cell Biology
HomeFacultyFaculty ProfilesAaron Neiman

Aaron Neiman, Ph.D.

neiman

Professor 
Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Life Sciences Building Room 332
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215

Office telephone: 631-632-1543
Lab telephone: 631-632-1421 
Fax: 631-632-8575

E-mail: aaron.neiman@stonybrook.edu

  • Research Description

     In response to starvation, diploid cells of the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae differentiate into haploid spores. The process of spore formation involves a form of cell division in which the four daughter nuclei produced by meiosis are encapsulated within newly formed plasma membranes termed prospore membranes. Subsequent to the closure of the prospore membrane, a complex coat called a spore wall is formed around each spore, which provides the spore with resistance to environmental stresses. Our lab is studying the molecular mechanisms underlying both the formation and growth of the prospore membrane as well as the assembly of the spore wall. These studies take us into a variety of areas of cell biology including vesicle trafficking, membrane fusion, cytokinesis, signal transduction, and extracellular matrix assembly.

    figure
    Stages of spore formation: Blue indicates the plasma membrane, red the nuclear envelope, and green the prospore membrane. The black “T”s on the periphery of the nucleus indicate the spindle poles and the thick gray represents the spore wall.

  • Publications

    Park, J. S., Hollingsworth, N. M., and Neiman, A. M. (2021). Genetic dissection of Vps13 regulation in yeast using disease mutations from human orthologs.  Int. J. Mol Sci. 22:6200

    Nakamura, T. S., Suda, Y. Muneshige, K., Fujieda, Y. Okumura, Y., Inoue, I., Tanaka, T., Takahashi, T., Nakanishi, H., Gao, X-D., Okada, Y, Neiman, A. M., and Tachikawa, H. (2021) Suppression of Vps13 adaptor protein mutants reveals a role for PI4P in regulating Vps13 function. PLoS Genetics, 17:e1009727.

    Bemena, L.D., Min, K., Konopka, J. B., and Neiman, A. M. (2021). A Conserved Machinery Underlies the Synthesis of a Chitosan Layer in the Candida Chlamydospore Cell Wall.  mSphere 6:e00080-21.

    Chrissian, C., Lin, C. P., Camacho, E., Casadevall, A., Neiman, A. M., and Stark, R. E*. (2020).  Unconventional constituents and shared molecular architecture of the melanized wall of C. neoformans and the spore wall of S. cerevisiae.  J Fungi 6:329.

    Park, J.-S. and Neiman, A. M. (2020).  XK is a partner for VPS13A:  a molecular link between chorea acanthocytosis and McLeod Syndrome.  Mol. Biol Cell  31: 2425-2436.

    Paulissen, S. M., Hunt, C. A., Seitz, B. C., Slubowski, C. J., Yu, Y., Mucelli, X., Truong, D., Wallis, Z., Nguyen, H.T., Newman-Toledo, S., Neiman, A.M., and Huang, L. S. (2020).  A Non-canonical Hippo pathway regulates spindle disassembly and cytokinesis during meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  GENETICS 216:447-462. 

    Zhou, S., Sternglanz, R., and Neiman, A. M. (2017).  Developmentally regulated internal transcription initiation during meiosis in budding yeast.  PLoS One, 12(11): e0188001. 

    Omerza, G., Tio, C.-W., Philips, T., Diamond, A., Neiman, A. M., and Winter, E. (2017). The meiosis-specific Cdc20 family member Ama1 promotes binding of the Ssp2 activator to the Smk1 MAP kinase.  Mol Biol Cell. 29:66-74.

    Nakamura, T. S., Numajiri, Y., Okumura, Y., Hidaka, J., Tanaka, T., Inoue, I., Suda, Y., Takahashi,T., Nakanishi, H., Gao, X.-D., Neiman, A. M., and Tachikawa, H. (2017).  Dynamic localization of a yeast development-specific PP1 complex during prospore membrane formation is dependent on multiple localization signals and complex formation. Mol. Biol. Cell, 28:3881-3895. 

    Zhang, K., Needleman, L., Zhou, S., and Neiman, A. M. (2017). A novel assay reveals a maturation process during ascospore wall formation.  J Fungi, 3(4), 54.

    Hoffman, R. Grabinska, K., Qian, Z., Sessa, W., and Neiman, A. M. (2017).  Long-chain polyprenols promote spore wall formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  GENETICS, 207:1371-1386.

    Bemena, L. D., Mukama, O., Neiman, A. M., Li, Z., Gao, X. D., and Nakanishi, H. (2017). In vitro reconstitution of the yeast spore wall dityrosine layer discloses the mechanism of its assembly. J Biol Chem. 292:15880-15891.

    Jin, L., Zhang, K., Sternglanz, R., and Neiman, A. M. (2017). Predicted RNA binding proteins Pes4 and Mip6 regulate mRNA levels, translation, and localization during sporulation in budding yeast. Mol Cell Biol. 37:408-416.

    Ta-Shma, A., Zhang, K., Salimova, E., Zernecke, A., Sieiro-Mosti, D., Stegner, D., Furtado, M., Shaag, A., Perles, Z., Nieswandt, B., Rein, A. J., Rosenthal, N., Neiman, A. M., and Elpeleg, O. (2017). Congenital valvular defects associated with deleterious mutations in the PLD1 gene. J Med Genet.  54:278-286.

    Callender, T.L., Laureau, R., Wan, L., Chen, X., Sandhu, R., Laljee, S., Zhou, S., Suhandynata, R. T., Prugar, E., Gaines, W. A., Kwon, Y., Börner, G. V., Nicolas, A., Neiman, A.M., and Hollingsworth, N. M. (2016). Mek1 down regulates Rad51 activity during yeast meiosis by phosphorylation of Hed1.  PLoS Gen. 12:e1006226

    Okada, H., Kono, K., Neiman, A. M., and Ohya, Y. (2016).  Examination and disruption of the yeast cell wall. Cold Spring Harb Protoc.

    Okada, H. Neiman, A. M., and Ohya, Y. (2016).  Assay for spore wall integrity using a yeast predator.  Cold Spring Harb Protoc.

    Park, J. S., Thorsness, M. K., Policastro, R., McGoldrick L. L., Hollingsworth, N. M., Thorsness, P. E., and Neiman, A. M. (2016) Yeast Vps13 promotes mitochondrial function and is localized at membrane contact sites.  Mol. Biol. Cell 27:2435-2449. 

    Jin, L., Zhang, K., Xu, Y., Sternglanz, R., and Neiman, A.M. (2015).  Sequestration of mRNAs Modulates the Timing of Translation during Meiosis in Budding Yeast.  Mol Cell Biol. 35:3448-3458. 

    Park, J.-S., Halegoua, S., Kishida, S., and Neiman, A. M. (2015).  A conserved function in phosphatidylinositol metabolism for mammalian Vps13 family proteins.  PLoS One, 10:e0124836    

    Ucisik-Akkaya, E., Leatherwood, J. K., and Neiman, A. M. (2014).  A genome wide screen for sporulation-defective mutants in Schizosaccharomyces pombe  G3 4:1173-1182 

    Ren, J., Lin, P.-C., Pathak, M. C., Temple, B. R., Nile, A. H., Mousley, C. J., Duncan, M. C., Eckert, D. M., Leiker, T. J., Ivanova, P. T., Myers, D. S., Murphy, R. C., Brown, H. A., Versaasdonk, J., Bloom, K. S., Ortlund, E. A., Neiman, A. M., and Bankaitis, V. A. (2014).  A phosphatidylinositol transfer protein integrates phosphoinositide signaling with lipid droplet metabolism to regulate a developmental program of nutrient stress-induced membrane biogenesis. Mol Biol Cell  25:712-727 

    Lam, C., Santore, E., Lavoie, E., Needleman, L., Fiacco, N., Kim, C., and Neiman, A. M. (2014). A visual screen of protein localization during sporulation identifies new components of prospore membrane-associated complexes in budding yeast.  Euk. Cell  13:383-391. 

    Park, J.-S., Okumura, Y., Tachikawa, H., and Neiman, A. M. (2013).  SPO71 encodes a developmental stage-specific partner for Vps13 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Euk Cell. 2:1530-1537. 

    Lin, C. P., Kim, C., Smith, S. O., and Neiman, A. M. (2013).  A Highly Redundant Gene Network Controls Assembly of the Outer Spore Wall in S. cerevisiae.  PLoS Gen. 9:e1003700 

    Park, J.-S. and Neiman, A. M. (2012). VPS13 Regulates Membrane Morphogenesis During Sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  J Cell Sci. 125:3004-3011. 

    Neiman, A. M. (2011). Sporulation in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Genetics 189:737-765. 

    Mathieson, E. M., Suda, Y ., Nickas, M., Snydsman, B., Davis, T. N., Muller, E. G., and Neiman, A. M. (2010).  Vesicle docking to the spindle pole body is necessary to recruit the exocyst during membrane formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Mol. Biol. Cell.  21:3693-3707 

    Mathieson, E. M,, Schwartz, C,, and Neiman, A. M. (2010).  Membrane assembly modulates the stability of the meiotic spindle pole body.  J Cell Sci  123:2481-2490. 

    Yang, H.-J. and  Neiman , A. M. (2010).  A guanine nucleotide exchange factor is a component of the meiotic spindle pole body in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.  Mol Biol Cell. 12:1272-1281.

    Suda, Y. S., Rodriguez, R. K., Coluccio, A. E., and Neiman, A. M. (2009).  A screen for spore wall permeability mutants identifies a secreted protease required for proper spore wall assembly.  PLoS One 4:e7184.

    Ishihara, M., Suda ,Y., Inoue, I., Tanaka, T., Takahashi, T., Gao, X. D., Fukui, Y., Ihara, S., Neiman, A.M., and Tachikawa, H. (2009).  A protein phosphatase I-interacting protein Ysw1 is involved in proper septin organization and prospore membrane formation during sporulation. Eukaryot Cell. 2009 8:1027-1037 

    Diamond, A. E., Park, J. S., Inoue, I., Tachikawa, H., and Neiman, A. M. (2009).  The anaphase promoting complex subunit Ama1 links meiotic exit to cytokinesis during sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Mol. Biol. Cell. 20:134-145. 

    Yang, H.-J., Nakanishi, H., Liu, S., McNew, J. A. and Neiman, A. M. (2008).  Binding interactions control SNARE specificity in vivo.  J. Cell Biol.  183: 1089-1100.  

    Pablo-Hernando, M. E., Arnaiz-Pita, Y., Tachikawa, H., Del Rey, F., Neiman, A. M., Vazquez de Aldana, C. R.  (2008). Septins localize to microtubules during nutritional limitation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  BMC Cell Biol.  9:55 

    Coluccio, A. E., Rodriguez, R. K., Kernan, M. J., and Neiman, A. M. (2008).  The yeast spore wall enables spores to survive passage through the digestive tract of Drosophila.  PLoS One 3:e2873. 

    Yan, H., Ge, W., Chew, T. G., Chow, J. Y., McCollum D., Neiman A. M., and Balasubramanian, M. K. (2008)  The meiosis-specific Sid2p-elated protein Slk1p regulates forespore membrane assembly in fission yeast.  Mol Biol Cell. 19:3676-3690.

    Suda, Y.,  Nakanishi, H., Mathieson, E. M., and Neiman, A. M. (2007).   Alternative modes of organellar segregation during sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Euk. Cell  :2009-2017

    Liu, S., Wilson, K. A., Rice-Stitt, T., Neiman, A. M., and McNew, J. A. (2007).  In vitro fusion catalyzed by the sporulation-specific t-SNARE light chain Spo20p is stimulated by phosphatidic acid.  Traffic :1630-1643.

    Pablo-Hernando, M. E., Arnaiz-Pita, Y., Nakanishi, H., Dawson, D., del Rey, F., Neiman A. M., and Vazquez de Aldana, C. R.  (2007).  Cdc15 is required for spore morphogenesis independently of Cdc14 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Genetics 177:281-293.

    Nakanishi, Y., Suda, Y., and Neiman, A. M. (2007).  Erv14 family cargo receptors are necessary for ER exit during sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  J. Cell Sci. 120:908-916.

    Ragni, E. Coluccio, A., Rolli, E., Rodriguez-Pena, J. M. Colasante, G., Arroyo, J., Neiman A. M., and Popolo, L. (2007).  GAS2 and GAS4, a pair of developmentally regulated genes required for spore wall assembly in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Euk. Cell 6:302-316. 

    Nakanishi, H.,  Morishita, M., Schwartz, C. L., Coluccio, A., Engebrecht, J., and Neiman, A. M. (2006).  Phospholipase D and the SNARE Sso1p are necessary for vesicle fusion during sporulation in yeast.  J Cell Sci.  119:1406-1415. 

    Neiman, A. M.  (2005)  Ascospore formation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Micro. Mol. Biol. Rev. 69:565-584. 

    Coluccio, A. Bogengruber, E., Conrad, M. N., Dresser, M., Briza, P., and Neiman A. M. (2004).  A morphogenetic pathway of spore wall formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Euk. Cell,  6:1464-1475 

    Coluccio, A.  and Neiman, A. M. (2004)  Interspore bridges: a new feature of the S. cerevisiae spore wall.  Microbiology,  150:3189-3196. 

    Nickas, M.E., Diamond, A., Yang, M.-J., and Neiman, A. M. (2004).  Regulation of Spindle Pole Body function by an intermediary metabolite.  Mol. Biol. Cell, 15:.2606-2616. 

    Nakanishi, H.,  de Los Santos, P., and Neiman, A. M. (2004). Positive and negative regulation of a SNARE protein by control of intracellular localization.  Mol Biol Cell. 15:1802-1815. 

    Coluccio, A., Malzone, M. and Neiman A. M. (2004).  Genetic evidence of a role for membrane lipid composition in the regulation of SNARE  function.  Genetics, 166:89-97. 

    Nickas, M. E., Schwartz, C., and Neiman, A. M. (2003)   Ady4p and Spo74p are components of the meiotic Spindle Pole Body that promote growth of the prospore membrane in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Euk. Cell  2:431-445. 

    Nickas, M. E., and  Neiman, A. M. (2002)   Ady3p links Spindle Pole function to spore wall synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Genetics, 160: 1439-1450. 

    Tachikawa, H., Bloecher, A., Tatchell, K., and Neiman, A. M. (2001)  A Gip1p-Glc7p phosphatase complex regulates septin organization and spore wall formation.  J. Cell Biol. 155:797-808. 

    Bajgier, B. K., Malzone, M., Nickas, M. and Neiman, A. M. (2001).  SPO21 is required for meiosis-specific modification of the spindle pole body in yeast.  Mol. Biol. Cell. 12: 1611-1621. 

    Neiman, A. M., Katz, L, and Brennwald, P. J.  (2000).  Identification of domains required for developmentally regulated SNARE function.  Genetics, 155: 1643-1655. 

    Neiman, A. M. (1998).  Prospore membrane formation defines a developmentally regulated branch of the secretory pathway in yeast.  J. Cell Biol.  140: 29-37.

  • Lab Personnel
     
     Past Members
    • Maria Malzone (1999-2000) Technician
    • Hiroyuki Tachikawa (2000-2001) Visiting Scientist
    • Bethany Bajgier (2000-2003) Graduate Student
    • Alison Coluccio (2000-2006) Technician
    • Mark Nickas (2000-2004) Postdoctoral Fellow
    • Min Jay Yang (2001-2002) Technician
    • Hideki Nakanishi (2001-2006) Postdoctoral Fellow
    • Wei Ao (2003-2004) Technician
    • Aviva Diamond (2003-2008) Graduate Student
    • Erin Mathieson (2004-2010) Graduate Student
    • Hui-Ju Yang (2006-2011) Graduate Student
    • Rachael Rodriguez (2007-2009) Technician
    • Yasuyuki Suda (2004-2009) Postdoctoral Fellow
    • Carey Kim (2010-2011) Technician
    • Chien Lam (2012-2013) Technician
    • Leor Needleman (2013-2014) Technician
    • Pei-Chen Lin (2009-2013) Graduate Student
    • Esma Ucisik-Akkaya (2010-2014) Graduate Student
    • Liang Jin (2011-2016) Graduate Student
    • Robert Policastro (2014-2015) Masters Student
    • Patrick Singer (2015-2016) Masters Student
    • John Zinno (2017) Masters Student
    • Reuben Hoffman (2012-2017) Graduate Student
    • Sai Zhou (2012-2017) Graduate Student
    • Chase Cortez (2018) Masters Student
    • Mohamed Bah (2019) Masters Student
    • Kenneth Sweeney (2018-2020) Technician
    • Katie Donnelly (2020) Masters Student
    • Leo Bemena (2018-2021) Postdoctoral Fellow