Erik Wilker

Education

Ph.D., in Pharmacology University of Texas, Austin, 2001 Advisor: John DiGiovanni PhD., Terrance Monks PhD.

B.S., Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Wisconsin, 1996

CDP research

Investigating the how the loss of regulation of protein translation that is normally suppressed during mitosis and during cellular detachment from the extra cellular membrane, contributes toward oncogenesis and susceptibility toward external DNA damaging agents. By utilizing a biochemical, proteomic approach to identify the mechanism by which 14-3-3σ regulates novel mitotic targets and to determine the relationship of this activity to 14-3-3σ’s tumor suppressor capabilities. In addition, determining the contribution of cap-independent translated transcripts toward cellular checkpoint integrity and the onset of cellular senescence.

Publications

Wilker E, Artim S, Petersen C., Huang P., Feng Y, Sharp P, White F, Yaffe M. “14-3-3sigma controls mitotic translation to facilitate cytokinesis.” Nature. 2007 Mar 15;446(7133):329-32.

Wilker E, Lu J, Rho O, Carbajal S, Beltran L, DiGiovanni J. “Role of PI3K/Akt signaling in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) skin tumor promotion.” Molecular Carcinog.44(2): 137-145 (Oct. 2005)

Wilker E, Grant R, Artim S, Yaffe M. “Structural basis for 14-3-3 sigma functional specificity.” J. Biol. Chem. 280(19): 18891-18898 (May 2005)

Wilker E, Yaffe M.“14-3-3 Proteins--a focus on cancer and human disease.” J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 37(3): 633-642 2004).

Brown GE, Stewart MQ, Bissonnette SA, Elia AE, Wilker E, Yaffe MB. “Distinct ligand-dependent roles for p38 MAPK in priming and activation of the neutrophil NADPH oxidase.” J. Biol. Chem.. 279(26): 27059-27068 (Jun. 2004)

Kissil JL, Wilker EW, Johnson KC, Eckman MS, Yaffe MB, Jacks T. “Merlin, the product of the Nf2 tumor suppressor gene, is an inhibitor of the p21-activated kinase, Pak1.” Mol. Cell. 12(4): 841-849 (Oct. 2003).

Li J, Williams BL, Haire LF, Goldberg M, Wilker E, Durocher D, Yaffe MB, Jackson SP, Smerdon SJ. “Structural and functional versatility of the FHA domain in DNA-damage signaling by the tumor suppressor kinase Chk2.” Mol. Cell. 9(5): 1045-1054 (May 2002)

DiGiovanni J, Wilker E, Bol DK, Beltran L, Carbajal S, Moats S, Ramirez A, Jorcano J, Kiguchi K. “Constitutive expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 in epidermal basal cells of transgenic mice leads to spontaneous tumor promotion.” Cancer Res. 60(6): 1561-1470 (Mar. 2000).

DiGiovanni J, Kiguchi K, Frijhoff A, Wilker E, Bol DK, Beltran L, Moats S, Ramirez A, Jorcano J, Conti C. “Deregulated expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 in prostate epithelium leads to neoplasia in transgenic mice.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97(7): 3455-6340 (Mar. 2000).

Wilker E, Bol D, Kiguchi K, Rupp T, Beltran L, DiGiovanni J. “Enhancement of susceptibility to diverse skin tumor promoters by activation of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor in the epidermis of transgenic mice.” Mol. Carcinog. 25(2): 122-131 (Jun. 1999).

Reedstrom RJ, Martin KS, Vangala S, Mahoney S, Wilker EW, Royer CA. “Characterization of charge change super-repressor mutants of trp repressor: effects on oligomerization conformation, and stability.” J. Mol. Biol. 264(1): 32-45.