Bio

Future health professional dedicated to improving human and planetary health

Honors & Awards

  • Gold Humanism Honor Society, Stanford School of Medicine (2019)
  • Prize in Excellence Award for Research, Brandeis University (2013)
  • National Science Foundation Undergraduate Fellow (NSF REU), Brandeis University (2012)

Education & Certifications

  • Bachelor of Science, Brandeis University, Biology (2013)
  • EMT-B, Brandeis University (2011)
  • Wilderness First Aid certified, Stanford School of Medicine (2016)

Contact

  • Academic
    jesspull@stanford.edu
    University - Student Department: Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources Position: Graduate
    University - Student Department: School of Medicine Position: Graduate, Medicine

Additional Info

  • Mail Code: 6015
  • Other Names:
    Jess Pullen

All Publications

  • Ligand-induced activation of a formin-NPF pair leads to collaborative actin nucleation. The Journal of cell biology Graziano, B. R., Jonasson, E. M., Pullen, J. G., Gould, C. J., Goode, B. L. 2013; 201 (4): 595-611

    Abstract

    Formins associate with other nucleators and nucleation-promoting factors (NPFs) to stimulate collaborative actin assembly, but the mechanisms regulating these interactions have been unclear. Yeast Bud6 has an established role as an NPF for the formin Bni1, but whether it also directly regulates the formin Bnr1 has remained enigmatic. In this paper, we analyzed NPF-impaired alleles of bud6 in a bni1Δ background and found that Bud6 stimulated Bnr1 activity in vivo. Furthermore, Bud6 bound directly to Bnr1, but its NPF effects were masked by a short regulatory sequence, suggesting that additional factors may be required for activation. We isolated a novel in vivo binding partner of Bud6, Yor304c-a/Bil1, which colocalized with Bud6 and functioned in the Bnr1 pathway for actin assembly. Purified Bil1 bound to the regulatory sequence in Bud6 and triggered NPF effects on Bnr1. These observations define a new mode of formin regulation, which has important implications for understanding NPF-nucleator pairs in diverse systems.

    View details for DOI 10.1083/jcb.201212059

    View details for PubMedID 23671312

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC3653363