Duan M, GaoG, Lin A, Mackey EJ, Banfield DK, Merz AJ. 2024. SM protein Sly1 and a SNARE Habc domain promote membrane fusion through multiple mechanisms. Journal of Cell Biology, https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202001034.
Duan M, Plemel RL, Takenaka T, Lin A, Delgado BM, Nattermann U, Nickerson DP, Mima J Miller EA, Merz AJ. 2024. SNARE chaperone Sly1 directly mediates close-range vesicle tethering. Journal of Cell Biology, https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202001032.
Reinhard J, Leveille CL, Cornell CE, Merz AJ, Klose C, Ernst R, Keller SL. 2023. Remodeling of yeast vacuole membrane lipidomes from the log (one phase) to stationary stage (two phases). Biophysical Journal, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2023.01.009.
Leveille CL, Cornell CE, Merz AJ, Keller SL. 2022. Yeast cells actively tune their membranes to phase separate at temperatures that scale with growth temperatures. PNAS, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2116007119.
Plemel RL, Odorizzi G, Merz AJ. 2020. Genetically encoded multimode reporter of AP-3 traffic in budding yeast. Traffic, https://doi.org/10.1111/tra.12772.
Ledvina HD, Cundiff JA, Kelly, KA, Plemel RL, Eshraghi A, Brook S, Peterson SB, Lee B, Alder M, Merz AJ, Skerrett SJ, Celli J, Mougous JD. 2018. A phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase effector alters phagosomal trafficking to promote intracellular growth of Francisella. Cell Host & Microbe, doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2018.07.003. A Preview featuring this paper has been published: doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2018.07.016
Rayermann SP, Rayermann GE, Cornell CE, Merz AJ, Keller SL. 2017. Hallmarks of reversible phase separation in living, unperturbed cell membranes. Biophysical Journal, doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.09.029
Schwartz ML, Nickerson DP, Lobingier BT, Plemel RL, Duan M, Angers CG, Zick M, Merz AJ. 2017. Sec17 (α-SNAP) and an SM-tethering complex regulate the outcome of SNARE Zippering in vitro and in vivo. eLife, doi: 10.7554/eLife.27396
Cattin-Ortolá J, Topalidou I, Dosey A, Merz AJ, Ailion M. 2017. The Dense-Core Vesicle Maturation Protein CCCP-1 Binds both RAB-2 and Membranes through a Conserved C-terminal Coiled-coil Domain. Traffic, doi: 10.1111/tra.12507.
Song H, Orr AS, Duan M, Merz AJ, Wickner WT. 2017. Sec17/Sec18 act twice, enhancing fusion and then disassembling cis-SNARE complexes. eLife, doi: 10.7554/eLife.26646
Sunshine AB, Ong GT, Nickerson DP, Carr D, Murakami CJ, Wasko, BM, Shemorry A, Merz AJ, Kaeberlein M, Dunham MJ. 2016. Aneuploidy shortens replicative lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Aging Cell, doi: 10.1111/acel.12443
Nickerson DP and Merz AJ. 2015. LUCID: quantitative assay of ESCRT-dependent cargo packaging into the MVB. Traffic, doi: 10.1111/tra.12331
Chapin HC, Merz AJ, Miller DL. 2015. Tissue-specific responses to aging and stress in C. elegans. Aging, doi: 10.18632/aging.100765
Zick M, Orr A, Schwartz ML, Merz AJ, Wickner WT. 2015. Sec17 can trigger fusion of trans-SNARE paired membranes without Sec18. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1506409112.
Shideler T, Nickerson DP, Merz AJ, Odorizzi G. 2015. Ubiquitin binding by the CUE domain promotes endosomal localization of the Rab5 GEF Vps9. Molecular Biology of the Cell, doi 10.1091/mbc.E14-06-1156.
Merz AJ. 2015. Review: What are the roles of V-ATPases in membrane fusion? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1422280112
Lobingier BT, Nickerson DP, Lo S-Y and Merz AJ. 2014. SM proteins Vps33 and Sly1 coassemble with Sec17 and SNARE complexes to oppose SNARE disassembly by Sec18. eLife, doi: 10.7554/eLife.02272 See also: eLife INSIGHT minireview by M. Munson –pdf
Brodsky JL, Merz A, Serio T. 2014. Meeting review: Organelle and proteome quality control mechanisms: how cells are able to keep calm and carry on. Molecular Biology of the Cell, doi: 10.1091/mbc.E13-11-0672.
Paulsel AL, Merz AJ and Nickerson DP. 2013. Vps9 family protein Muk1 is a second Rab5 GEF in budding yeast. Journal of Biological Chemistry, doi: 10.1074/jbc.M113.457069
Lobingier BT and Merz AJ. 2012. Sec1/Munc18 protein Vps33 binds to SNARE domains and the quaternary SNARE complex. Molecular Biology of the Cell, doi:
10.1091/mbc.E12-05-0343
Lockshon D, Olsen CP, Brett CL, Chertov A, Merz AJ, Lorenz DA, Van Gilst MR,
Kennedy BK. 2012. Rho signaling participates in membrane fluidity homeostasis. PLoS ONE doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045049
Nickerson DP, *Russell MRG, *Lo SY Milnes J and Merz AJ. 2012. Termination of isoform-specific Vps21/Rab5 signaling at endolysosomal organelles by Msb3/Gyp3. Traffic, doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0854.2012.01390.x *Equal contributors.
Lo S-Y, Brett CL, Plemel R, Vignali M, Fields S, Gonen T and Merz AJ. 2012. Intrinsic tethering activity of endosomal Rab proteins. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, doi: 10.1038/nsmb.2162 *F1000 Recommended Paper.
*Plemel RL, *Lobingier BT, Brett CL, Nickerson, DP, Angers CG, Paulsel A, Sprague D and Merz AJ. 2011. Subunit organization and Rab interactions of Vps-C complexes that control endolysosomal membrane traffic. Molecular Biology of the Cell, doi: 10.1091/mbc.E10-03-0260 *Equal contributors.
Angers C and Merz AJ. 2011. Review: New links between vesicle coats and Rab-mediated vesicle targeting. Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology, doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2010.07.003
Hood RD, Singh P, Hsu F, Guevener T, Carl MA, Trinidad RRS, Silverman JM, Ohlson BB, Hicks KG, Plemel RL, Li M, Schwartz S, Wang WY, Merz AJ, Goodlett D, Mougous J. 2010. Discovery of Type VI secretion substrates in Psudomonas aeruginosa: identification of a toxin targeted to bacteria. Cell Host & Microbe, doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2009.12.007 *F1000 Must Read Paper.
Zheng H, Taraska J, Merz AJ and Gonen T. 2010. The prototypical H+/galactose symporter GalP assembles into functional trimers. Journal of Molecular Biology, doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2009.12.010 *Cover article.
Angers C and Merz AJ. 2009. HOPS interacts with Apl5 at the vacuole membrane and is required for consumption of AP-3 transport vesicles. Molecular Biology of the Cell, doi: 10.1091/mbc.E09-04-0272
Nickerson DP, Brett CL and Merz AJ. 2009. Review: Vps-C complexes: master regulators of endolysosomal membrane traffic. Current Opinion in Cell Biology, doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2009.05.007
Colette JR, Chi RJ, Boettner DR, Fernandez-Golbano IM, Plemel RL, Merz AJ, Geli MI, Traub LM, Lemmon SK. 2009. Clathrin functions in the absence of the terminal domain binding site for adaptor-associated clathrin-box motifs. Molecular Biology of the Cell, doi: 10.1091/mbc.E08-10-1082
Schwartz ML and Merz AJ. 2009. Capture and release of partially-zipped trans-SNARE complexes on intact organelles. Journal of Cell Biology, doi: 10.1083/jcb.200811082
Brett CL, Plemel RL, Lobingier BT, Vignali M, Fields S and Merz AJ. 2008. Efficient termination of vacuolar Rab GTPase signaling requires coordinated action by a GAP and a protein kinase. Journal of Cell Biology doi: 10.1083/jcb.200811082 *JCB featured paper; F1000 Recommended Paper.
Brett CL and Merz AJ. 2008. Osmotic regulation of Rab-mediated organelle docking. Current Biology doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2008.06.050
Lee SW, Higashi DL, Snyder, A, Merz AJ, Potter L and So M. 2005. PilT is required for PI(3,4,5)P-mediated crosstalk between Neisseria gonorrhoeae and epithelial cells. Cellular Microbiology 7:1271-1284. doi:10.1111/j.1462-5822.2005.00551.x
Thorngren N, Collins KM, Fratti R, Wickner WT and Merz AJ. 2004. A soluble SNARE drives rapid docking, bypassing the need for ATP and Sec17/18p for vacuole fusion. EMBO Journal 23:2765-2776. doi: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7600286
Merz AJ and Wickner WT. 2004. Resolution of organelle docking and fusion kinetics in a cell-free assay. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101:11549-11553. –pdf
Fratti RA, Jun Y, Merz AJ, Margolis N and Wickner WT. 2004. Interdependent assembly of specific regulatory lipids and membrane proteins into the vertex ring domain of docked vacuoles. Journal of Cell Biology 167:1087-1098. –pdf
Merz AJ and Wickner WT. 2004. Trans-SNARE interactions elicit Ca2+ efflux from the yeast vacuole lumen. Journal of Cell Biology 164:195-206. –pdf
Merz AJ and Higgs HN. 2003. Dispatch (minireview): Listeria motility: biophysics pushes things forward. Current Biology 13:R302-304.
Wang L, Merz AJ, Collins KM and Wickner WT. 2003. Hierarchy of protein assembly at the vertex ring domain for yeast vacuole docking and fusion. Journal of Cell Biology 160:365-374. –pdf
Boeddinghaus C, Merz AJ, Laage R and Ungermann C. 2002. A cycle of Vam7p release from and PtdIns-3-P-dependent rebinding to the yeast vacuole is required for homotypic vacuole fusion. Journal of Cell Biology 157:79-89. F1000 Recommended Paper. –pdf
Wang L, Seeley, S, Wickner WT and Merz AJ. 2002. Vacuole fusion at a ring of vertex docking sites leaves membrane fragments within the organelle. Cell 108:357-69. –pdf
Merz AJ and Forest KT. 2002. Review: Bacterial surface motility: slime trails, grappling hooks, and nozzles. Current Biology 12:R297-303. –pdf
Merz AJ, So M and Sheetz MP. 2000. Pilus retraction powers bacterial twitching motility. Nature 407:98-102. –pdf
Merz AJ and So M. 2000. Review: Interactions of pathogenic Neisseriae with epithelial cell membranes. Annual Review of Cell & Developmental Biology 16:423-457. –pdf
Hopper S, Vasquez B, Merz A, Clary S, Wilbur JS and So M. 2000. Effects of the immunoglobulin A1 protease on Neisseria gonorrhoeae trafficking across polarized T84 epithelial monolayers. Infection & Immunity 68:906-911. doi: 10.1128/IAI.68.2.906-911.2000
Merz AJ, Enns CA and So M. 1999. Type IV pili of pathogenic Neisseriae elicit cortical plaque formation in epithelial cells. Molecular Microbiology 32:1316-1332. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.1999.01459.x
Merz AJ and So M. 1997. Attachment of piliated, Opa- and Opc- gonococci and meningococci to epithelial cells elicits cortical actin rearrangements and clustering of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins. Infection & Immunity 65:4341-4349. doi: 10.1128/iai.65.10.4341-4349.1997
Merz AJ, Rifenbery DB, Arvidson CG and So M. 1996. Traversal of a polarized epithelium by pathogenic Neisseriae: facilitation by type IV pili and maintenance of epithelial barrier function. Molecular Medicine 2:745-754. doi: 10.1007/bf03401658
Waldbeser LS, Ajioka RS, Merz AJ, Puaoi D, Lin L, Thomas M and So M. 1994. The opaH locus of Neisseria gonorrhoeae MS11A is involved in epithelial cell invasion. Molecular Microbiology 13:919-928. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.1994.tb00483.x