Torsten Wittmann, PhD
Professor
Cell and Tissue Biology
School of Dentistry

Intracellular dynamics are coordinated by the cytoskeleton, and we are interested in how microtubules, a highly dynamic filament system inside eukaryotic cells, control cell behavior and morphogenesis in human tissue culture models, such as cancer and hiPSC-derived neurons by using advanced microscopy, optogenetics and microfabrication.

In ongoing projects, we ask how Doublecortin, a microtubule-associated protein frequently mutated in neurodevelopmental cortical malformations, and related proteins control microtubule function in developing neurons. We also develop optogenetic tools to control intracellular protein activities with high spatial and temporal accuracy aiming to guide cell division and neuronal development to engineer synthetic neuron network modules, and we develop microscopy to better visualize cancer and neuronal cell dynamics in physiological 3D environments.

• Doublecortin reinforces microtubules to promote growth cone advance in soft environments.
  Current biology : CB 2024 Dema A, Charafeddine RA, van Haren J, Rahgozar S, Viola G, Jacobs KA, Kutys ML, Wittmann T
• G3BP isoforms differentially affect stress granule assembly and gene expression during cellular stress.
  Molecular biology of the cell 2024 Liboy-Lugo JM, Espinoza CA, Sheu-Gruttadauria J, Park JE, Xu A, Jowhar Z, Gao AL, Carmona-Negrón JA, Wittmann T, Jura N, Floor SN
• Quantitative Comparison of Monomeric StayGold Variants Using Protein Nanocages in Living Cells.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024 Viola G, Jacobs KA, Lemière J, Kutys ML, Wittmann T
• Doublecortin reinforces microtubules to promote growth cone advance in soft environments.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024 Dema A, Charafeddine RA, van Haren J, Rahgozar S, Viola G, Jacobs KA, Kutys ML, Wittmann T
• Protein-protein interactions with G3BPs drive stress granule condensation and gene expression changes under cellular stress.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024 Liboy-Lugo JM, Espinoza CA, Sheu-Gruttadauria J, Park JE, Xu A, Jowhar Z, Gao AL, Carmona-Negrón JA, Wittmann T, Jura N, Floor SN
• The E3 ligase TRIM1 ubiquitinates LRRK2 and controls its localization, degradation, and toxicity.
  The Journal of cell biology 2022 Stormo AED, Shavarebi F, FitzGibbon M, Earley EM, Ahrendt H, Lum LS, Verschueren E, Swaney DL, Skibinski G, Ravisankar A, van Haren J, Davis EJ, Johnson JR, Von Dollen J, Balen C, Porath J, Crosio C, …
• Controlling Cell Shape and Microtubule Organization by Extracellular Matrix Micropatterning.
  Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 2022 Dema A, Rahgozar S, Siquier L, van Haren J, Wittmann T
• pHLARE: a new biosensor reveals decreased lysosome pH in cancer cells.
  Molecular biology of the cell 2020 Webb BA, Aloisio FM, Charafeddine RA, Cook J, Wittmann T, Barber DL
• Neurotoxic microglia promote TDP-43 proteinopathy in progranulin deficiency.
  Nature 2020 Zhang J, Velmeshev D, Hashimoto K, Huang YH, Hofmann JW, Shi X, Chen J, Leidal AM, Dishart JG, Cahill MK, Kelley KW, Liddelow SA, Seeley WW, Miller BL, Walther TC, Farese RV, Taylor JP, Ullian EM, …
• Lights, cytoskeleton, action: Optogenetic control of cell dynamics.
  Current opinion in cell biology 2020 Wittmann T, Dema A, van Haren J
• Optogenetic Control of Microtubule Dynamics.
  Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 2020 van Haren J, Adachi LS, Wittmann T
• Tau repeat regions contain conserved histidine residues that modulate microtubule-binding in response to changes in pH.
  The Journal of biological chemistry 2019 Charafeddine RA, Cortopassi WA, Lak P, Tan R, McKenney RJ, Jacobson MP, Barber DL, Wittmann T
• Microtubule Plus End Dynamics - Do We Know How Microtubules Grow?: Cells boost microtubule growth by promoting distinct structural transitions at growing microtubule ends.
  BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology 2019 van Haren J, Wittmann T
• The glycolytic enzyme phosphofructokinase-1 assembles into filaments.
  The Journal of cell biology 2017 Webb BA, Dosey AM, Wittmann T, Kollman JM, Barber DL
• GSK3-mediated CLASP2 phosphorylation modulates kinetochore dynamics.
  Journal of cell science 2017 Pemble H, Kumar P, van Haren J, Wittmann T
• Autophagy in adhesion and migration.
  Journal of cell science 2016 Kenific CM, Wittmann T, Debnath J
• Abstract 243: Investigating microtubule growth dynamics in patient-derived metastatic prostate cancer cells.
  Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics 2016 Alexandre Matov, Johan de Rooij, Jay Gatlin, Julia Rohrberg, Nikta Ahmad, Rahul Aggarwal, Jeff Simko, Andrei Goga, Charles Ryan, Torsten Wittmann
• NBR1 enables autophagy-dependent focal adhesion turnover.
  The Journal of cell biology 2016 Kenific CM, Stehbens SJ, Goldsmith J, Leidal AM, Faure N, Ye J, Wittmann T, Debnath J
• Migration of Founder Epithelial Cells Drives Proper Molar Tooth Positioning and Morphogenesis.
  Developmental cell 2015 Prochazka J, Prochazkova M, Du W, Spoutil F, Tureckova J, Hoch R, Shimogori T, Sedlacek R, Rubenstein JL, Wittmann T, Klein OD
• Enzymatically Generated CRISPR Libraries for Genome Labeling and Screening.
  Developmental cell 2015 Lane AB, Strzelecka M, Ettinger A, Grenfell AW, Wittmann T, Heald R
• Acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering is regulated both by glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β)-dependent phosphorylation and the level of CLIP-associated protein 2 (CLASP2) mediating the capture of microtubule plus-ends.
  The Journal of biological chemistry 2014 Basu S, Sladecek S, Pemble H, Wittmann T, Slotman JA, van Cappellen W, Brenner HR, Galjart N
• Neuronal deletion of GSK3β increases microtubule speed in the growth cone and enhances axon regeneration via CRMP-2 and independently of MAP1B and CLASP2.
  BMC biology 2014 Liz MA, Mar FM, Santos TE, Pimentel HI, Marques AM, Morgado MM, Vieira S, Sousa VF, Pemble H, Wittmann T, Sutherland C, Woodgett JR, Sousa MM
• Host cell polarity proteins participate in innate immunity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.
  Cell host & microbe 2014 Tran CS, Eran Y, Ruch TR, Bryant DM, Datta A, Brakeman P, Kierbel A, Wittmann T, Metzger RJ, Mostov KE, Engel JN
• Expression of an expanded CGG-repeat RNA in a single pair of primary sensory neurons impairs olfactory adaptation in Caenorhabditis elegans.
  Human molecular genetics 2014 Juang BT, Ludwig AL, Benedetti KL, Gu C, Collins K, Morales C, Asundi A, Wittmann T, L'Etoile N, Hagerman PJ
• Analysis of focal adhesion turnover: a quantitative live-cell imaging example.
  Methods in cell biology 2014 Stehbens SJ, Wittmann T
• Concepts in quantitative fluorescence microscopy.
  Methods in cell biology 2014 Waters JC, Wittmann T
• Fluorescence live cell imaging.
  Methods in cell biology 2014 Ettinger A, Wittmann T
• Quantitative imaging in cell biology. Preface.
  Methods in cell biology 2014 Waters JC, Wittmann T
• LIS1 controls mitosis and mitotic spindle organization via the LIS1-NDEL1-dynein complex.
  Human molecular genetics 2013 Moon HM, Youn YH, Pemble H, Yingling J, Wittmann T, Wynshaw-Boris A
• Host microtubule plus-end binding protein CLASP1 influences sequential steps in the Trypanosoma cruzi infection process.
  Cellular microbiology 2012 Zhao X, Kumar P, Shah-Simpson S, Caradonna KL, Galjart N, Teygong C, Blader I, Wittmann T, Burleigh BA
• Microtubule dynamics regulation contributes to endothelial morphogenesis.
  Bioarchitecture 2012 Lyle KS, Corleto JA, Wittmann T
• Targeting and transport: how microtubules control focal adhesion dynamics.
  The Journal of cell biology 2012 Stehbens S, Wittmann T
• +TIPs: SxIPping along microtubule ends.
  Trends in cell biology 2012 Kumar P, Wittmann T
• EB1-recruited microtubule +TIP complexes coordinate protrusion dynamics during 3D epithelial remodeling.
  Current biology : CB 2012 Gierke S, Wittmann T
• Multisite phosphorylation disrupts arginine-glutamate salt bridge networks required for binding of cytoplasmic linker-associated protein 2 (CLASP2) to end-binding protein 1 (EB1).
  The Journal of biological chemistry 2012 Kumar P, Chimenti MS, Pemble H, Schönichen A, Thompson O, Jacobson MP, Wittmann T
• Imaging intracellular protein dynamics by spinning disk confocal microscopy.
  Methods in enzymology 2012 Stehbens S, Pemble H, Murrow L, Wittmann T
• Dynamic actin remodeling during epithelial-mesenchymal transition depends on increased moesin expression.
  Molecular biology of the cell 2011 Haynes J, Srivastava J, Madson N, Wittmann T, Barber DL
• Chlamydia trachomatis co-opts GBF1 and CERT to acquire host sphingomyelin for distinct roles during intracellular development.
  PLoS pathogens 2011 Elwell CA, Jiang S, Kim JH, Lee A, Wittmann T, Hanada K, Melancon P, Engel JN
• Analysis of microtubule dynamic instability using a plus-end growth marker.
  Nature methods 2010 Matov A, Applegate K, Kumar P, Thoma C, Krek W, Danuser G, Wittmann T
• Analysis of microtubule polymerization dynamics in live cells.
  Methods in cell biology 2010 Gierke S, Kumar P, Wittmann T
• GSK3beta phosphorylation modulates CLASP-microtubule association and lamella microtubule attachment.
  The Journal of cell biology 2009 Kumar P, Lyle KS, Gierke S, Matov A, Danuser G, Wittmann T
• SnapShot: Microtubule regulators II.
  Cell 2009 Lyle K, Kumar P, Wittmann T
• SnapShot: Microtubule Regulators I.
  Cell 2009 Lyle K, Kumar P, Wittmann T
• EBs clip CLIPs to growing microtubule ends.
  The Journal of cell biology 2008 Wittmann T
• Cofilin activity downstream of Pak1 regulates cell protrusion efficiency by organizing lamellipodium and lamella actin networks.
  Developmental cell 2007 Delorme V, Machacek M, DerMardirossian C, Anderson KL, Wittmann T, Hanein D, Waterman-Storer C, Danuser G, Bokoch GM
• Adenomatous polyposis coli on microtubule plus ends in cell extensions can promote microtubule net growth with or without EB1.
  Molecular biology of the cell 2006 Kita K, Wittmann T, Näthke IS, Waterman-Storer CM
• Spatial regulation of CLASP affinity for microtubules by Rac1 and GSK3beta in migrating epithelial cells.
  The Journal of cell biology 2005 Wittmann T, Waterman-Storer CM
• Microtubule cytoskeleton: a new twist at the end.
  Current biology : CB 2005 Wittmann T, Desai A
• Eg5 causes elongation of meiotic spindles when flux-associated microtubule depolymerization is blocked.
  Current biology : CB 2004 Shirasu-Hiza M, Perlman ZE, Wittmann T, Karsenti E, Mitchison TJ
• Characterization of the TPX2 domains involved in microtubule nucleation and spindle assembly in Xenopus egg extracts.
  Molecular biology of the cell 2004 Brunet S, Sardon T, Zimmerman T, Wittmann T, Pepperkok R, Karsenti E, Vernos I
• Regulation of Microtubule Dynamics in Migrating Cells: A New Role for Rho GTPases.
  Cell Motility 2004 Torsten Wittmann, Clare M. Waterman-Storer
• Regulation of microtubule destabilizing activity of Op18/stathmin downstream of Rac1.
  The Journal of biological chemistry 2003 Wittmann T, Bokoch GM, Waterman-Storer CM
• Regulation of leading edge microtubule and actin dynamics downstream of Rac1.
  The Journal of cell biology 2003 Wittmann T, Bokoch GM, Waterman-Storer CM
• A high-speed multispectral spinning-disk confocal microscope system for fluorescent speckle microscopy of living cells.
  Methods (San Diego, Calif.) 2003 Adams MC, Salmon WC, Gupton SL, Cohan CS, Wittmann T, Prigozhina N, Waterman-Storer CM
• Toward reconstitution of in vivo microtubule dynamics in vitro.
  BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology 2002 Andersen SS, Wittmann T
• Cell motility: can Rho GTPases and microtubules point the way?
  Journal of cell science 2001 Wittmann T, Waterman-Storer CM
• The spindle: a dynamic assembly of microtubules and motors.
  Nature cell biology 2001 Wittmann T, Hyman A, Desai A
• TPX2, A novel xenopus MAP involved in spindle pole organization.
  The Journal of cell biology 2000 Wittmann T, Wilm M, Karsenti E, Vernos I
• Motor proteins regulate force interactions between microtubules and microfilaments in the axon.
  Nature cell biology 2000 Ahmad FJ, Hughey J, Wittmann T, Hyman A, Greaser M, Baas PW
• Recombinant p50/dynamitin as a tool to examine the role of dynactin in intracellular processes.
  Methods in cell biology 1999 Wittmann T, Hyman T
• Localization of the kinesin-like protein Xklp2 to spindle poles requires a leucine zipper, a microtubule-associated protein, and dynein.
  The Journal of cell biology 1998 Wittmann T, Boleti H, Antony C, Karsenti E, Vernos I
• Purification and characterization of full-length mammalian poly(A) polymerase.
  Biochimica et biophysica acta 1997 Wittmann T, Wahle E