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RESEARCH INTERESTS

Cell Biology, Microbiology, Biology of Fungi

Dr. Hill’s research deals with the genetic determinants of growth and division in fungal cells.  Particular areas of interest are the identification of proteins participating in construction and constriction of actomyosin rings at division sites and the molecular basis for targeting of proteins to their sites of action in the cell. In collaboration with Dr. Loretta Jackson-Hayes (Department of Chemistry), this laboratory is generating and characterizing mutant strains of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans that have defects in cell growth or division, which is providing information on the mechanisms underlying these processes.  Among genes currently under study, are actin, type II myosin, protein kinase C, and a fungal IQGAP protein.  Other recently published work has dealt with proteins in the fungal Golgi apparatus, which are important to protein glycosylation and to cell morphogenesis.  

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SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Hill, T. W., S. Vance Jr., J. F. Loome, B. J. Haugen, D. M. Loprete, S. V. Stoddard, and L. Jackson-Hayes.   2023.   "A member of the OSCA/TMEM63 family of mechanosensitive calcium channels participates in cell wall integrity maintenance in Aspergillus nidulans"   Fungal Genetics & Biology 169: 103842 

Hill, T. W., K. E. Wendt, D. A. Jones, M. H. Williamson, U. J. Ugwu, L. B. Rowland, and L. Jackson-Hayes.   2020.   "The Aspergillus nidulans IQGAP orthologue SepG is required for constriction of the contractile actomyosin ring."  Fungal Genetics & Biology 144: 103439

Jackson-Hayes, L., Z. Atiq, B. Betton, W. T. Freyaldenhoven, L. Myers, E. Olsen, and T. W. Hill.   2019.  "Aspergillus nidulans protein kinase C forms a complex with the formin SepA that is involved in apical growth and septation."  Fungal Genetics & Biology 122: 21-32.

Hill, T. W, L. Jackson-Hayes, X. Wang, and B. L. Hoge.   2015.  "A mutation in the converter subdomain of Aspergillus nidulans MyoB blocks constriction of the actomyosin ring in cytokinesis."  Fungal Genetics & Biology 75: 72-83.

Jackson-Hayes, L., T. W. Hill, D. M. Loprete, C. DelBove, J. Shapiro, J. Henley, and O. Dawodu.   2015.  "Two amino acid sequences direct Aspergillus nidulans protein kinase C (PkcA) localization to hyphal apices and septation sites."  Mycologia 107: 452-459.

Gremillion, S. K., S. D. Harris, L. Jackson-Hayes, S. G. W. Kaminskyj, D. M. Loprete, A. C. Gauthier, S. Mercer, A. J. Ravita, and T. W. Hill.   2014. "Mutations in proteins of the Conserved Oligomeric Golgi complex affect polarity, cell wall structure, and glycosylation in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans."  Fungal Genetics & Biology 73: 69-82.

Jackson-Hayes, L., T. W. Hill, D. M. Loprete, B. S. Gordon, C. J. Groover, L. R. Johnson, and S. A. Martin.   2010.  "GDP-mannose transporter paralogues play distinct roles in Aspergillus nidulans cell wall integrity."   Mycologia 102: 305-310.

Jackson-Hayes, L., T. W. Hill, D. M. Loprete, L. M. Fay, B. S. Gordon, S. A. Nkashama, R. K. Patel, and C. V. Sartain.  2008.  "Two GDP-mannose transporters contribute to hyphal form and cell wall integrity in Aspergillus nidulans."  Micrbiology 154:2037-2047.

Teepe, A. G., D. M. Loprete, Z. He, T. A. Hoggard, and T. W. Hill.  2007 "The protein kinase C orthologue PkcA plays a role in cell wall integrity and polarized growth in Asperigillus nidulans".  Fungal Genetics & Biology 44: 554-562.

Hill, T. W., D. M. Loprete, M. Momany, Y. Ha, L. M. Harsch, J. A. Livesay, A. Mirchandani, J. J. Murdock, M. J. Vaughan, and M. B. Watt. 2006. "Isolation of cell wall mutants in Aspergillus nidulans by screening for hypersensitivity to Calcofluor White". Mycologia 98: 400-410.

Momany, M., R. Lindsey, T. W. Hill, E. A. Richardson, C. A. Momany, M. Pedreira, G. M. Guest, J. F. Fisher, R. B. Hessler, and K. A. Roberts. 2004. "The Aspergillus fumigatus cell wall is organized in domains that are remodeled during polarity establishment". Microbiology 150: 3261-3268.

Loprete, D. M. and T. W. Hill. 2002. "Isolation and characterization of an endo-(1,4)-b-glucanase secreted by Achlya ambisexualis". Mycologia 94:903-911.

Hill, T. W., D. M. Loprete, K. N. Vu, S. P. Bayat Mokhtari, and L. V. Hardin. 2002. "Proteolytic release of membrane-bound endo-(1,4)-b-glucanase activity associated with cell wall softening in Achlya ambisexualis". Canadian Journal of Microbiology 48:93-98.

Hill, T. W. and E. Kafer. 2001. "Improved protocols for Aspergillus minimal medium: Trace element and minimal medium salt stock solutions". Fungal Genetics Newsletter 48:20-21.

Reichard, U., G. T. Cole, T. W. Hill, R. Rüchel, and M. Monod. 2000. "Molecular characterization and influence on fungal development of ALP2, a novel serine proteinase from Aspergillus fumigatus".International Journal of Medical Microbiology 290:549-558.

Money, N. P. and T. W. Hill. 1997. "Correlation between endoglucanase secretion and cell wall strength in Oomycete hyphae: Implications for growth and morphogenesis". Mycologia 89:777-785.

Hill, T. W. and M. P. Pott. 1997. "Regulation of extracellular proteases in Achlya ambisexualis".Canadian Journal of Botany 75:440-444.

Hill, T. W. 1996. "Electrophoretic characterization of endo-(1,4)-b-glucanases secreted during assimilative growth and antheridiol-induced branching in Achlya ambisexualis". Canadian Journal of Microbiology 42:557-561.