Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle):
Parra, Karlett J.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
NAME
POSITION TITLE
Karlett J. Parra, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
P30 Role: Full Member Translational Cancer
Biology & Signaling
eRA COMMONS USER NAME (credential, e.g., agency login)
KJParra
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, include postdoctoral training and
residency training if applicable.)
DEGREE
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
MM/YY
FIELD OF STUDY
(if applicable)
Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas,Venezuela
Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas,Venezuela
SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY
B.S.
M.S.
Ph.D.
May 1990
July 1992
May 1998
Biology
Biochemistry
Biochemistry & Mol. Biol.
A. Personal Statement Our lab studies the molecular mechanisms that regulate function and assembly of V-ATPase proton pumps.
We study he fundamental processes by which V-ATPase assists cells in sustaining pH and energy
homeostasis in yeast (S. cerevisiae). In pathogenic fungi (C. albicans), we investigate the contributions of VATPases to filamentation and virulence. In prostate and breast cancer we study the mechanisms by which VATPases regulate androgen receptor and estrogen receptor functions and as well as V-ATPase contributions
to cell survival and metastasis.
B. Positions And Honors
Positions & Employment
Dec. 1997 - Aug.1999
Aug. 1999 - June 2000
Aug. 2000 - Aug. 2004
Aug. 2004 - Dec. 2006
Jan. 2007 - July 2010
July 2010 - present
July 2012 - present
Post-Doctoral Research Associate. Dr. Patricia M. Kane, Dept. of Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY.
Visiting Assistant Professor. Dept. of Biology, Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY.
Assistant Professor. Dept. of Chemistry, Ball State University, Muncie, IN.
Associate Professor. Dept. of Chemistry, Ball State University, Muncie, IN.
Assistant Professor. Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of
Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
Associate Professor. Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of
Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
Chair, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine,
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
Leadership and Honors
1983
1990-1992
1998
2001
2003
2005
2006
2010
2011
Outstanding Graduate Award, High School Liceo Gustavo Herrera, Caracas, Venezuela.
Graduate Scholarship, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas,
Venezuela.
The John Bernard Henry, MD. Endowed Scholarship Award, Graduate School of SUNY.
Chair Chemistry Session, Indiana Academy of Sciences Fall Meeting
National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award.
The Ball State University 2004 -2005 Award for Outstanding Junior Faculty Member.
Gordon Research Conference in Molecular and Cellular Bioenergetics, Discussion Leader.
Faculty of Color Award for Research by the Project of New Mexico Graduates of Color.
Faculty of Color Award for Mentoring by the Project of New Mexico Graduates of Color.
PHS 398/2590 (Rev. 06/09)
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Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle):
2011
2013
2014-2019
2015
Parra, Karlett J.
Chair “V-ATPases: Structure, Function and Disease” Session at the Bioenergetics Gordon
Research Conference, Proctor Academy in Andover, NH, June.
Vice Chair, 2013 Bioenergetics Gordon Research Conference, NH, June.
Journal of Biological Chemistry, Editorial Board
Chair Elect, Bioenergetics Gordon Research Conference, NH, June.
C. Selected Peer-reviewed Publications
1. Karlett J. Parra., and P. M. Kane. “Wild-type And Mutant Vacuolar Membranes Support pH-Dependent
Reassembly of the Yeast Vacuolar H+-ATPase In Vitro.” J Biol Chem, 271:19592-9598 (1996).
2. Zhang, J., K. J. Parra, J. Liu, and P. M. Kane. “Characterization Of A Temperature-Sensitive Vacuolar
ATPase Mutant with Defects In Bud Morphology and Cytokinesis.” J Biol Chem,273:18470-18480
(1998).
3. Karlett J. Parra., and P. M. Kane. “Reversible Association Between The V1 And Vo Domains of The
Yeast Vacuolar H+-ATPase is an Unconventional Glucose-Induced Effect.” Mol Cell Biol, 18: 7064-7074
(1998).
4. Karlett J. Parra, K. Keenan, and P. M. Kane. “The H Subunit (Vma13p) of the Yeast V-ATPase Inhibits
the ATPase Activity of Cytosolic V1 Complexes.” J Biol Chem, 275: 21761-21767 (2000).
5. Kane, P. M., and K. J. Parra. “Assembly and Regulation of the Yeast Vacuolar ATPase.” J Exp Biol,
203: 81-87 (2000).
6. Parra-Belky, Karlett J. “Identification of Yeast V-ATPase Mutants by Western Blots Analysis of Whole
Cell Lysates.” J Chem Ed, 79: 1348-1350 (2002).
7. Karlett J. Parra-Belky, K. McCulloch, N. Wick, R. Shircliff, N. Croft, K. Margalef, J. Brown, T. Crabill, R.
8. Jankord, and E. Waldo. “Immunoprecipitation of Protein Complexes from Yeast.” Biochem Mol Biol
Ed., 33: 289-292 (2005).
9. M. A. Owegi, A. Carenbauer, N. Wick, J. Brown, K. Terhune, S. Bilbo, R. Weaver, R. Shircliff, N.
Newcomb, and Karlett J. Parra-Belky. “Mutagenesis Analysis of the Stator Subunit E of the Yeast VATPase.” J Biol Chem, 280: 18393-18402 (2005).
10. M. A. Owegi, D. L. Pappas Jr., M. W. Finch, S. A. Bilbo, C. A. Resendiz, Lori J. Jacquemin, Aswathy
Warrier, John D. Trombley, Kathryn M. McCulloch, K. L. M. Margalef, M. J. Mertz, J. M. Storms, C. A.
Damin and Karlett J. Parra. “Identification of a domain in the Vo Subunit d that is critical for coupling of
the Yeast V-ATPase.” J Biol Chem., 281: 30001-30014 (2006).
11. Ediger, S. D. Melman, D. L. Pappas Jr., M. Finch, J. Applen, and Karlett J. Parra. “The Tether
Connecting Cytosolic (N-terminus) and Membrane (C-terminus) Domains of Yeast V-ATPase Subunit a
(Vph1) is Required for Assembly of Vo Subunit d”. J Biol Chem, 284:19522-19532 (2009). PMC2740578
12. Karlett J. Parra, M. Osgood, and D. Pappas Jr. “A Research-Based Biochemistry Laboratory Course
Designed to Strengthen the Research-Teaching Nexus.” Bio chem Mol Biol Ed.38: 172-179 (2010).
13. Rebecca M. Johnson, Chris Allen, Sandra D. Melman, Anna Wallar, Larry A. Sklar, and Karlett J. Parra.
“Inhibitors of Yeast V-ATPase Proton Pumps Identified by HTS Flow Cytometry”, Anal Bioch
15:398(2):203-211 (2010). PMC2853757.
14. Chan CY, Prudom C**, Raines SM**, Charkhzarrin S, Melman SD, De Haro LP, Allen C, Lee SA, Sklar
LA, Parra KJ. “Inhibitors of V-ATPase proton transport reveal uncoupling functions of the tether linking
cytosolic and membrane domains of the Vo subunit a (Vph1p)”. J Biol Chem (2012). 287(13):10236-50.
15. Parra, KJ. “Vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) a Model Proton Pump for Antifungal Drug Discovery”, In
Emerging Strategies for Antimicrobial Drug Discovery. GP Tegos and E. Mylonakis (Ed.),
CABI,Oxfordshire, UK. In Press.
16. Michel V., Licon-Munoz Y., Trujillo K., Bisoffi M., and Parra K. ““Inhibitors of Vacuolar ATPase Proton
Pumps Inhibit Human Prostate Cancer Cell Invasion and Prostate-Specific Antigen Expression and
Secretion””. International Journal of Cancer. In Press.
17. Raines SM, Rane H, Bernardo SM, Binder JL, Lee SA, Parra KJ “Deletion of V-ATPase Voa isoforms
clarifies the role of vacuolar pH as a determinant of virulence-associated traits in C. albicans”. J Biol
Chem 288(9):6190-201 (2013)
18. Rane HS, Bernardo SM, Raines SM, Binder JL, Parra KJ, Lee SA. Candida albicans VMA3 is necessary
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Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle):
Parra, Karlett J.
for V-ATPase assembly and function and contributes to secretion and filamentation. Eukaryot Cell
Oct;12(10):1369-82. (2013)
19. Hayek SR, Lee SA, Parra KJ. Advances in targeting the vacuolar proton-translocating ATPase (VATPase) for anti-fungal therapy. Front Pharmacol. 5:4 (2014)
** equal contribution
D. RESEARCH SUPPORT (last three years)
Ongoing Research Support
2P20RR016480-09, NCRR/NIGMS
PI: Arterburn J
05/01/2009 - 02/28/2014
NM-INBRE UNM: Subcontract, Role: Investigator
Title: V-ATPase Pumps in Prostate Cancer: Regulatory and Functional Studies
Overall goals: To study V-ATPase expression and functions in prostate cancer cell lines.
1R01GM086495, NIH/NIGMS
PI: Parra K.J.
08/01/2009 - 05/31/2014
Title: V-ATPase H+ Pump Regulation in Fuel Energy Selection
Overall goals: The major goals of this project are to identify the metabolic signals that communicate
glucose/lipid availability to V-ATPase pumps and to establish the biochemical mechanisms by which
glucose regulates V1Vo assembly.
14PRE19020015, AHA_SWA
Sponsor: Parra K.J.
01/01/2014 – 12/31/2015
PI: Chan YC
Title: Beta-subunit of the yeast PFK complex modulates glucose-dependent reassembly of V-ATPase pumps.
Overall goals: Pre-doctoral Fellowship Award. The major goal of this project is to dissect the role of individual
PFK subunit for V-ATPase regulation
Completed Research Support (Past 3 years)
1R03DA031666, NIH/NIDA
PI: Parra K.J.
01/01/2011 - 12/31/2013
Title: Flow Cytometry HTS for Small Molecules that Regulate V-ATPase Proton Transport in Yeast.
Overall goals: HTS of the Molecular Libraries Probe Centers Network (MLPCN) library of small molecules to
identify V-ATPase inhibitors.
NIH-NIGMS; NRSA, (F32) Award
PI: De Haro L.
Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Role:: Sponsor
Title: The Role GADPH in the Regulation of V-ATPase Function (Relinquished)
03/1/2012 - 02/28/2014
Overall goals: To study the cross-talk between GAPDH and glucose-dependent assembly of VATPase
1R01GM086495, NIH/NIGMS
PI: Parra K.J.
Pre-Baccalaureate Diversity Research Supplement
Overall goals: To study vma6 mutants of V-ATPase pumps in yeast.
01/01/2011 - 05/31/2012
1R01GM086495, NIH/NIGMS
PI: Parra K.J.
02/04/2010 - 02/03/2012
Postdoctoral Diversity Supplement (Dr. Leyma DeHaro)
Overall goals: Dr. De Haro will study regulation of V-ATPase pumps by glycolysis in yeast.
UNM-Cancer Center
PI: Parra K.J.
04/01/2011 to 08/31/2011
Post-Doctoral Fellowship Matching Funds (Dr. Vera Michel)
Title: V-ATPase Pumps in Prostate Cancer
Overall goals: Dr. Michel will study the link between V-ATPase and the PSA-AR axis in prostate cancer cell
lines.
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Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle):
Parra, Karlett J.
1R01GM086495, NIH/NIGMS
PI: Parra K.J.
Pre-Baccalaureate Research Supplement (Joshua Sheak)
Title: V-ATPase H+ Pump Regulation in Fuel Energy Selection
Overall goals: To characterized V-ATPase mutants in yeast.
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01/01/2010 - 12/31/2012
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