Selected Publications

Awasthi, M., Ranjan, P., Kelterborn. S., Hegemann, P., Snell, W. J. 2022. A cytoplasmic protein kinase couples engagement of Chlamydomonas ciliary receptors to cAMP-dependent cellular responses. Journal of Cell Science. doi: 10.1242/jcs.259814

Snell, W. J. 2022. Uncovering an ancestral green ménage à trois: Contributions of Chlamydomonas to the discovery of a broadly conserved triad of plant fertilization proteins. Current Opinion in Plant Biology. In Press.

Awasthi, M., Ranjan, P., Snell, W, J. 2022. (In Press). “Ciliary adhesion and cilium-generated signaling during fertilization in Chlamydomonas. In The Chlamydomonas Sourcebook, edn Third. Edited by Dutcher SK, Goodenough UW, Grossman AR, Wollman F-A: Academic Press. vol. 3.

Goodenough, U. W., Lee, J-H., Snell, W. J. 2022. (In Press). “The Sexual Cycle.” In The Chlamydomonas Sourcebook, edn Third. Edited by Dutcher SK, Goodenough UW, Grossman AR, Wollman F-A: Academic Press. vol. 1.

Pinello, J. F., Liu, Y., Snell, W. J. 2021. MAR1 links membrane adhesion to membrane merger during cell-cell fusion in Chlamydomonas. Developmental Cell. 56:3380-3392 e3389. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.10.023.

Zhang, J., Pinello J. F., Fernández, I., Baquero, E., Fedry, J., Rey, F. A., Snell, W. J. 2021. Species-specific gamete recognition initiates fusion-driving trimer formation by conserved fusogen HAP2. Nature Communications. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24613-8.

Ranjan, P., Awasthi, M., Snell, W. J. 2019. Transient Internalization and Microtubule-Dependent Trafficking of a Ciliary Signaling Receptor from the Plasma Membrane to the Cilium. Current Biology. 29: 2942-2947.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.07.022. PubMed PMID: 31422889; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC 6736722.

Zhang, J., Pinello , J. F., Snell, W. J. 2019. Plant sperm need a little help. Nature Plants. 5:247-248. doi: 10.1038/s41477-019-0385-0. PMID: 30850815; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6436394.

Feng, J.*, Dong ,X,.* Pinello, J, F.*, Zhang ,J,*, Lu, C,, Iacob, R. E., Engen, J. R, Snell**, W. J., Springer, T. A**. 2018. Fusion surface structure, function, and dynamics of gamete fusogen HAP2. eLife. 7. pii: e39772. doi: 10.7554/eLife.39772. *Co-first authors; **Co-corresponding authors.

Angrisano, F.*, Sala, K. A., Da, D. F., Liu, Y., Grishin, N. V. Pei, J., Snell, W. J.*, and Blagborough, A. M.* 2017. Targeting the conserved fusion loop of HAP2 inhibits the transmission of Plasmodium berghei and falciparum. Cell Reports. 21: 2868-2878. PMID: 29212032. *Co-corresponding authors.

Fédry, J.*, Liu, Y.*, Péhau-Arnaudet, G., Pei J., Li W., Tortorici, M.A., Traincard, F., Meola, A., Bricogne, G., Grishin, N.V., Snell, W.J.**, Rey, F.A.**, Krey, T**. 2017. The Ancient Gamete Fusogen HAP2 Is a Eukaryotic Class II Fusion Protein. Cell. 168: 904-915. PMID: 28235200. *Co-first authors; **Co-corresponding authors. (Article featured in a Preview in Cell.)

Liu, Y., Pei, J., Grishin, N., and Snell, W.J. 2015. The cytoplasmic domain of the gamete membrane fusion protein HAP2 targets the protein to the fusion site in Chlamydomonas and regulates the fusion reaction. Development.142: 962-971. PMID: 25655701.

Cao, M., Ning, J., Hernandez-Lara, C.I., Belzile, O., Wang, Q., Dutcher, S.K., Liu, Y., and Snell, W.J. 2015. Uni-directional ciliary membrane protein trafficking by a cytoplasmic retrograde IFT motor and ciliary ectosome shedding. eLife. 4:e05242. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.05242. PMID: 25688564.

Dresselhaus, T. and Snell, W. J. 2014. Fertilization: A sticky sperm protein in plants. Dispatch. Current Biology. 24: R164-166. PMID: 24556441.

Ning, J., Otto, T. D., Pfander, C., Schwach, F., Brochet, M., Bushell, E., Goulding, D. Sanders, M., Lefebvre. P. A., Pei, J., Grishin, N. V., Vanderlaan, G., Billker, O. and Snell, W. J. 2013. Comparative genomics of sexual reproduction in Chlamydomonas and Plasmodium identifies a nuclear fusion protein family essential for ploidy transitions in protists, fungi, plants, and animals. Genes & Development. 27: 1198-1215. (Featured Cover Article). PMID: 23699412.

Cao, M., Meng, D., Wang, L., Bei, S., *Snell, W. J. and *Pan, J. 2013. A molecular reporter of organelle size: Activation loop phosphorylation of a protein kinase dynamically reports flagellar length. Proceedings National Academy of Sciences (USA). (*Co-corresponding authors). Proceedings National Academy of Sciences (USA). 110:12337-12342. PMID: 23836633.

Belzile, B., Hernandez-Lara, C. I., Wang, Q., and Snell, W. J. 2013. Regulated trafficking of a membrane protein to Chlamydomonas flagella does not require IFT and is directed by cytoplasmic microtubules. Current Biology. 23: 1460-1465. PMID: 23891117.

Snell, W. J. 2012. Development: Plant gametes do fertilization with a twist. Science. 338:1038-1039.

Luo, M., Cao. M., Kan, Y., Li, G., Snell, W. J., and Pan, J. 2011. The phosphorylation state of an aurora-like protein kinase marks the length of growing flagella in Chlamydomonas. Current Biology. 21: 586-591.

Rohatgi, R. and Snell, W. J. 2010. The ciliary membrane. Current Opinion in Cell Biology. 22: 541-546.

Cole, D. and Snell, W. J. 2009. SnapShot: Intraflagellar Transport. Cell. 137: 784.

Ellerman, D. A., Pei, J., Gupta, S., Snell, W. J., Myles, D., Primakoff, P. 2009. Izumo is part of a multiprotein family whose members form large complexes on mammalian sperm. Molecular Reproduction and Development. 76: 1188-1199.

Piao, T., Luo, M.W., L., Guo, Y., Li, D., Li, P., Snell, W.J., and Pan, J. (2009). A microtubule depolymerizing kinesin functions during both flagellar disassembly and flagellar assembly in Chlamydomonas. Proceedings National Academy of Sciences (USA). 106: 4713-4718.

Liu, Y., Tewari, R., Ning, J. Blagborough, A. M., Garbom, S., Pei, J., Grishin, N. V., Steele, Sinden, R. E., *Snell, W. J., and *Billker, O. 2008. The conserved plant sterility gene HAP2 functions after attachment of fusogenic membranes in Chlamydomonas and Plasmodium gametes. (*Co-corresponding authors). Genes & Development. 22: 1051-1068.

Snell, W. J. and Golemis, E. A. 2007. A ciliary timer for S-phase entry. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. 8: Correspondence.

Pan, J., and Snell, W. 2007. The primary cilium: Keeper of the key to cell division. Cell. 29:1255-7.

Wang, Q. Pan, J, and Snell, W. J. 2006. Intraflagellar transport particles participate directly in cilium-generated signaling in Chlamydomonas. Cell, 25:549-62.

Pan, J. and Snell, W. J. 2005. Chlamydomonas shortens its flagella by activating axonemal disassembly, stimulating IFT particle trafficking, and blocking anterograde cargo loading. Developmental Cell. 9: 431-438.

Pan, J. Wang, Q. and Snell, W. J. 2005. Cilium-generated signaling and cilia-related disorders. Laboratory Investigation, 85: 452-463. Snell, W. J., Pan, J., and Wang, Q. 2004. Cilia and flagella revealed: From flagellar assembly in Chlamydomonas to human obesity disorders. Cell, 117: 693-697.

Pan, J., Wang, Q., and Snell, W. J. 2004. An aurora kinase is essential for flagellar disassembly in Chlamydomonas. Developmental Cell, 6: 445-451.

Wang, Q. and W. J. Snell. 2003. Flagellar adhesion between mating type plus and mating type minus gametes activates a flagellar protein tyrosine kinase during fertilization in Chlamydomonas. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 278: 32936-32942.

Pan, J. and Snell, W. J. 2003. Kinesin-II and regulated intraflagellar transport of Chlamydomonas aurora protein kinase. Journal of Cell Science,116: 2179-2186.

Misamore, M., Gupta, S. and Snell, W. J. 2003. The Chlamydomonas mt+ gamete Fus1 protein is present on the mating type plus fertilization tubule and required for a critical membrane adhesion event during fusion with minus gametes. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 14: 2530-2542.

Zhao, H., Lu, M., Singh, R. and W. J. Snell. 2001. Ectopic expression of a mating type plus-specific homeodomain protein in mating type minus gametes in Chlamydomonas initiates zygote development without gamete fusion. Genes & Development. 15: 2767-2777.

Wilson, N. F., M. J. Foglesong, and W. J. Snell. 1997.The Chlamydomonas mating type plus fertilization tubule, a prototypic cell fusion organelle: isolation, characterization, and in vitro adhesion to mating type minus gametes. Journal of Cell Biology.137:1537-1553.

Snell, W. J. and J.M. White. 1996. The molecules of mammalian fertilization. Cell. 85:629-637.

Imam, S.H., M. J. Buchanan, H. -C. Shin, and W. J. Snell. 1985. The Chlamydomonas cell wall: characterization of the wall framework. Journal of Cell Biology. 101:1599-1607.

Snell, W.J. 1976. Mating in Chlamydomonas: A system for the study of specific cell adhesion. II. A radioactive binding assay for quantitation of adhesion. Journal of Cell Biology. 68:70-79.

Snell, W.J. 1976. Mating in Chlamydomonas: A system for the study of specific cell adhesion. Ultrastructural and electrophoretic analysis of flagellar surface components involved in adhesion. Journal of Cell Biology. 68:48-69.

Snell, W.J., W. L. Dentler, L. T. Haimo, L. I. Binder, and J. L. Rosenbaum. 1974. Assembly of chick brain tubulin onto isolated basal bodies of Chlamydomonas reinhardi. Science. 185:357-360.