Key Words: Spermatogenesis, DNA/RNA-binding proteins, non-coding RNAs, meiosis, oogenesis

Research Interests:
The major research interest of the laboratory has been the regulation of gene expression in germ cells. Using transgenic and gene targeting methodologies, our current research focuses on the regulatory roles of non-coding RNAs (piRNAs and miRNAs) and RNA-binding proteins (Translin, MSY2, polypyrimidine binding protein 2, and a novel isoform of KH type splicing protein) in transcription, mRNA stabilization and localization, and translation during spermatogenesis. Other projects are attempting to understand the molecular bases of human male infertility and using structure based drug design to develop new non-hormonal male contraceptives.

Representative Publications:
Yang, J., Medvedev, S., Reddi, P.P., Schultz, R.M. and Hecht, N.B. 2005. The DNA/RNA-binding protein MSY2 marks specific transcripts for cytoplasmic storage in mouse male germ cells, Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 102:1513-1518.

Yang, Y., Medvedev, S., Yu, J., Tang, L.C., Agno, J.E., Matzuk, M.M., Schultz, R.M. and Hecht, N.B. 2005. Absence of the DNA/RNA-binding protein MSY2 results in male and female infertility, Proc Nat Acad Sci USA, 102: 5755-60.

Cho, Y.S., Iguchi, N., Yang, J., Hoyman, S., Hunt, P. and Hecht, N.B. 2005. Coding and non-coding meiotic RNA targets of testis brain-RNA binding protein (TB-RBP) in mouse testis, Biol Reprod, 73:840-857.

Yu, Z., Raabe, T. and Hecht, N.B. 2005. The Post-transcriptionally Regulated Germ Cell mRNA, Transition Protein 2 (Tnp2), Is a Probable Target of MicroRNA122, Biol Reprod, 73: 427-433.

Iguchi, N., Tobias, J. and Hecht, N.B. 2006. Expression Profiling Reveals Meiotic Male Germ Cell mRNAs That Are Translationally Up- and Down-Regulated, Proc Nat Acad Science, USA, 103: 7712-7717.

Mellon, S.H., Bair, S.R., Depoix, C., Vigne, J.-L., Hecht, N.B. and Brake, P.B. 2007. Translin Co-Activates SF-1-Stimulated Transcription, Mol Endo, 21:89-105.

Yang, J., Morales, C., Medvedev, S., Schultz, R.M., and Hecht, N.B. 2007. In the Absence of the Mouse DNA/RNA-binding Protein MSY2 mRNA Instability Leads to Spermatogenic Arrest, Biol Reprod 76:48-54.

Xu, M., and Hecht, N.B. 2007. Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Protein 2 Stabilizes Phosphoglycerate Kinase 2 Messenger RNA in Murine Male Germ Cells by Binding to Its 3'UTR, Biol Reprod, 76:1025-1033.

Xu, M., You, Y., Hunsicker, P., Hori, T., Small, C. Griswold, M.D. and Hecht, N.B. 2008. Mice deficient for a small cluster of piRNAs implicate piRNAs in transposon control, Biol. Reprod., 79:51-57.

Medvedev, S., Yang, J., Hecht, N.B. and Schultz, R.M. 2008.CKD1-mediated phosphorylation of MSY2 triggers initiation of maternal mRNA degradation during mouse oocyte maturation, Dev. Biol., in press.