Martha Constantine-Paton

Martha Constantine-Paton

Professor Emerita

Before closing her lab, Martha Constantine-Paton used a combination of classical and modern genetic tools in mice to study the contributions of specific brain regions to normal behavior.

617-324-2077

Phone

mcpaton@mit.edu

Email

Lab Website

Education

  • PhD, 1976, Cornell University

Research Summary

The Constantine-Paton lab focused on the Flailer mutant mouse, which carries a brain region-specific dominant negative gene for the actin motor protein MyosinVa and shows a series of abnormal behaviors. They designed a CRISPR-Cas9 that removes this dominant negative mutation from certain brain regions to dissect the contribution of each region to normal behavior. Martha Constantine-Paton is no longer accepting students.

Awards

  • American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fellow, 2015

Key Publications

  1. BDNF induces transport of PSD-95 to dendrites through PI3K-AKT signaling after NMDA receptor activation. Yoshii, A, Constantine-Paton, M. 2007. Nat Neurosci 10, 702-11.
    doi: 10.1038/nn1903PMID:17515902
  2. Microarray analysis of microRNA expression in the developing mammalian brain. Miska, EA, Alvarez-Saavedra, E, Townsend, M, Yoshii, A, Sestan, N, Rakic, P, Constantine-Paton, M, Horvitz, HR. 2004. Genome Biol 5, R68.
    doi: 10.1186/gb-2004-5-9-r68PMID:15345052
  3. Eye opening induces a rapid dendritic localization of PSD-95 in central visual neurons. Yoshii, A, Sheng, MH, Constantine-Paton, M. 2003. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100, 1334-9.
    doi: 10.1073/pnas.0335785100PMID:12552131
  4. Developmental loss of miniature N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor currents in NR2A knockout mice. Townsend, M, Yoshii, A, Mishina, M, Constantine-Paton, M. 2003. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100, 1340-5.
    doi: 10.1073/pnas.0335786100PMID:12552130
  5. NMDA receptor-mediated control of protein synthesis at developing synapses. Scheetz, AJ, Nairn, AC, Constantine-Paton, M. 2000. Nat Neurosci 3, 211-6.
    doi: 10.1038/72915PMID:10700251

Recent Publications

  1. Removal of a partial genomic duplication restores synaptic transmission and behavior in the MyosinVA mutant mouse Flailer. Bustos, FJ, Pandian, S, Haensgen, H, Zhao, JP, Strouf, H, Heidenreich, M, Swiech, L, Deverman, BE, Gradinaru, V, Zhang, F et al.. 2023. BMC Biol 21, 232.
    doi: 10.1186/s12915-023-01714-yPMID:37957716
  2. Myosin Va Brain-Specific Mutation Alters Mouse Behavior and Disrupts Hippocampal Synapses. Pandian, S, Zhao, JP, Murata, Y, Bustos, FJ, Tunca, C, Almeida, RD, Constantine-Paton, M. 2020. eNeuro 7, .
    doi: 10.1523/ENEURO.0284-20.2020PMID:33229412
  3. Synaptic Effects of Dopamine Breakdown and Their Relation to Schizophrenia-Linked Working Memory Deficits. Bolton, AD, Constantine-Paton, M. 2018. Front Synaptic Neurosci 10, 16.
    doi: 10.3389/fnsyn.2018.00016PMID:29950984
  4. A Diencephalic Dopamine Source Provides Input to the Superior Colliculus, where D1 and D2 Receptors Segregate to Distinct Functional Zones. Bolton, AD, Murata, Y, Kirchner, R, Kim, SY, Young, A, Dang, T, Yanagawa, Y, Constantine-Paton, M. 2015. Cell Rep 13, 1003-15.
    doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.09.046PMID:26565913
  5. Postsynaptic localization of PSD-95 is regulated by all three pathways downstream of TrkB signaling. Yoshii, A, Constantine-Paton, M. 2014. Front Synaptic Neurosci 6, 6.
    doi: 10.3389/fnsyn.2014.00006PMID:24744726
  6. Homocysteine reduces NMDAR desensitization and differentially modulates peak amplitude of NMDAR currents, depending on GluN2 subunit composition. Bolton, AD, Phillips, MA, Constantine-Paton, M. 2013. J Neurophysiol 110, 1567-82.
    doi: 10.1152/jn.00809.2012PMID:23864370
  7. A Myosin Va mutant mouse with disruptions in glutamate synaptic development and mature plasticity in visual cortex. Yoshii, A, Zhao, JP, Pandian, S, van Zundert, B, Constantine-Paton, M. 2013. J Neurosci 33, 8472-82.
    doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4585-12.2013PMID:23658184
  8. Postsynaptic density scaffold SAP102 regulates cortical synapse development through EphB and PAK signaling pathway. Murata, Y, Constantine-Paton, M. 2013. J Neurosci 33, 5040-52.
    doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2896-12.2013PMID:23486974
  9. Eye opening and PSD95 are required for long-term potentiation in developing superior colliculus. Zhao, JP, Murata, Y, Constantine-Paton, M. 2013. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110, 707-12.
    doi: 10.1073/pnas.1215854110PMID:23267080
  10. A synaptic strategy for consolidation of convergent visuotopic maps. Phillips, MA, Colonnese, MT, Goldberg, J, Lewis, LD, Brown, EN, Constantine-Paton, M. 2011. Neuron 71, 710-24.
    doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2011.06.023PMID:21867886
More Publications
Photo credit: Kent Dayton