Publications

70. A MOPD II-associated Pericentrin variant disrupts PACT domain dimerization and pericentriolar material recruitment.

Thomas MS#, Galletta BJ #, Ryniawec JM, Amoiroglou A, Khan C , Fagerstrom CJ , Rogers GC, NM Rusan .

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 May 5;2026.05.01.722250. doi: 10.64898/2026.05.01.722250.

# co-first authors

69. Tumor-Associated Macrophages Promote Brain Metastasis.

Khan C*, NM Rusan* .

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 Jun 30;2026.06.29.735286. doi: 10.64898/2026.06.29.735286.

* co-corresponding authors

68. Autobehaver: An AI-Based Pipeline for Animal Behavior Analysis.

O’Neill RS*, Aviles S, NM Rusan* .

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 May 15;2026.05.12.724596. doi: 10.64898/2026.05.12.724596.

* co-corresponding authors

67. The Nuclear Pore Complex Facilitates Centriole-Nuclear Attachment in Spermatids.

Buglak DB, Galletta BJ, NM Rusan .

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 May 1;2026.04.28.721503. doi: 10.64898/2026.04.28.721503. In revision.

66. Togaram Ensures Axial Alignment of the Sperm Neck.

Burns EE, Burr SE, Holmes HMK, Fagerstrom CJ, NM Rusan .

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 Apr 17;2026.04.15.718719. doi: 10.64898/2026.04.15.718719. In revision.

65. Dual contributions of Xrp1 to genome integrity through the DNA damage response and cell competition.

Khan C, NM Rusan , Baker NE.

PLOS Genetics. 2026;22(9):e1012309. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1012309.

64. Unraveling the molecular details of centriole elongation.

Amoiroglou A, Ryniawec JM, Galletta BJ , NM Rusan * , Rogers GC*.

Trends Open. 2026;1(3):336-355. doi: 10.1016/j.treopn.2026.04.003.

* co-corresponding authors

63. Sperm Head-Tail Coupling Apparatus Diversity and Common Themes.

Buglak DB, Galletta BJ, Rusan NM .

Andrology. 2026 Jun 29. Online ahead of print. doi: 10.1111/andr.70298.

62. Combining ultrastructure expansion microscopy with immunofluorescence and Oligopaint DNA FISH.

Raab LM, Hockens CB, Lee LS, Runyan RK, Burns EE , Rusan NM , Rosin LF.

Chromosome Research. 2026;34(1):12. doi: 10.1007/s10577-026-09802-9.

61. An intrinsically disordered region of Drosha selectively promotes miRNA biogenesis, independent of tissue-specific Microprocessor condensates.

Yang B, Galletta B , Sakhawala R, Rusan NM , McJunkin K.

Genes & Development. 2026;40(1-2):26-42. doi: 10.1101/gad.352815.125.

60. Visualizing Drosophila centrioles by expansion microscopy.

Burns EE# , Amoiroglou A#, Fagerstrom CJ , Ryniawec JM, Lee L, Runyan RK, Rogers GC*, and NM Rusan*

Journal of Cell Science. 2026;139(1):jcs264338. doi: 10.1242/jcs.264338.

(# co-first authors, * co-corresponding)

★ First Person Interview · Emma Burns and Anastasia Amoiroglou ↗

59. Allograft Transplantation for Drosophila Tumor Metastasis Studies.

Khan C* and NM Rusan*

Disease Models & Mechanisms. 2025;18(12):dmm052543. doi: 10.1242/dmm.052543.

(* co-corresponding)

★ Shortlisted · DMM Outstanding Paper Prize 2025 ↗

★ First Person Interview ↗

58. Molecular models of the sperm head-tail coupling apparatus.

Buglak DB, Galletta BJ, Rusan NM .

Journal of Cell Science. 2025;138(19):jcs264168. doi: 10.1242/jcs.264168.

57. A deficiency screen identifies genomic regions critical for sperm head–tail connection.

Galletta BJ , Konstantinidou P, Haase AD, Rusan NM .

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics. 2025;15(2):jkae275. doi: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae275.

56. The proximal centriole-like structure maintains nucleus-centriole architecture in sperm

Buglak DB#, Holmes KHM#, Galletta BJ, Rusan NM .

Journal of Cell Science. 2024;137(17):jcs262311. doi: 10.1242/jcs.262311.

(# co-first authors)

★ First Person Interview ↗

55. Positioning Centrioles and Centrosomes

Hannaford MR* and Rusan NM *

Journal of Cell Biology. 2024;223(4):e202311140. doi: 10.1083/jcb.202311140.

(* co-corresponding)

54. Using Drosophila to Uncover the Role of Organismal Physiology and the Tumor-Microenvironment in Cancer

Khan C* and Rusan NM *

Trends in Cancer. 2024;10(4):289-311. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.01.007.

(* co-corresponding)

★ Featured article · Trends in Cancer

53. Cep104 is a component of the centriole distal tip complex that regulates centriole growth and contributes to Drosophila spermiogenesis

Ryniawec JM#, Hannaford MR#, Zibrat ME, Fagerstrom CJ, Galletta BJ, Aguirre SE, Guice BA, Dean SM, Rusan NM*, Rogers GC*

Current Biology. 2023;33(19):4202-4216.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.075.

(# co-first authors, * co-corresponding)

52. Spd-2 gene duplication reveals cell-type-specific pericentriolar material regulation

O'Neill RS*, Sodeinde AK#, Welsh FC#, Fagerstrom CJ, Galletta BJ, Rusan NM*

Current Biology. 2023;33(14):3031-3040.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.020.

(# contributed equally, * co-corresponding)

51. The E3 Ligase Poe Promotes Pericentrin Degradation.

Galletta BJ#, Varadarajan R#, Fagerstrom CJ, Yang B, Haase KP, McJunkin K, Rusan NM

Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2023;34(9):br15. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E22-11-0534.

(# co-first authors)

50. Pericentrin interacts with Kinesin-1 to drive centriole motility.

Hannaford MR, Liu R, Billington N, Swider ZT, Galletta BJ, Fagerstrom CJ, Combs C, Sellers JR, Rusan NM

Journal of Cell Biology. 2022;221(9):e202112097. doi: 10.1083/jcb.202112097.

★ Selected for Cover ↗

49. Traip controls mushroom body size by suppressing mitotic defects

O'Neill RS* and Rusan NM *

Development. 2022;149(7):dev199987. doi: 10.1242/dev.199987.

(* co-corresponding authors)

48. Host autophagy mediates organ wasting and nutrient mobilization for tumor growth

Khezri R, Holland P, Schoborg TA, Abramovich I, Takáts S, Dillard C, Jain A, O'Farrell F, Schultz SW, Hagopian WM, Quintana EM, Ng R, Katheder NS, Rahman MM, Teles Reis JG, Brech A, Jasper H, Rusan NM , Jahren AH, Gottlieb E, Rusten TE

The EMBO Journal. 2021;40(18):e107336. doi: 10.15252/embj.2020107336.

★ Selected for Cover ↗

47. Dynamic sex chromosome expression in Drosophila male germ cells

Mahadevaraju S, Fear JM, Akeju M, Galletta BJ, Pinheiro MMLS, Avelino CC, Cabral-de-Mello DC, Conlon K, Dell'Orso S, Demere Z, Mansuria K, Mendonça CA, Palacios-Gimenez OM, Ross E, Savery M, Yu K, Smith HE, Sartorelli V, Yang H, Rusan NM , Vibranovski MD, Matunis E, Oliver B

Nature Communications. 2021;12(1):892. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-20897-y.

46. Sperm Head-Tail Linkage Requires Restriction of Pericentriolar Material to the Proximal Centriole End

Galletta BJ* , Ortega JM , Smith SL , Fagerstrom CJ , Fear JM , Mahadevaraju S, Oliver B, Rusan NM*

Developmental Cell. 2020;53(1):86-101.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.02.006.

(* co-corresponding authors)

★ Selected for Cover ↗

45. A molecular mechanism for the procentriole recruitment of Ana2

McLamarrah TA , Speed SK , Buster DW , Fagerstrom CJ , Galletta BJ , Rusan NM* , Rogers GC*

Journal of Cell Biology. 2020;219(2):e201905172. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201905172.

(* co-corresponding authors)

44. Micro-computed tomography as a platform for exploring Drosophila development

Schoborg TA, Smith SL, Smith LN, Morris HD, Rusan NM

Development. 2019;146(23):dev176685. doi: 10.1242/dev.176685.

★ Selected for Cover ↗

43. Fascetto (PRC1) Interacting Protein (FIP) Ensures Proper Cytokinesis and Ploidy

Swider ZT#, Ng RK#, Varadarajan R, Fagerstrom CJ, Rusan NM

Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2019;30(8):992-1007. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E18-09-0573.

(# co-first authors)

★ Selected for Cover ↗

42. Bridging centrioles and PCM in proper space and time

Varadarajan R, Rusan NM

Essays in Biochemistry. 2018;62(6):793-801. doi: 10.1042/EBC20180036.

41. Asterless is a Polo-like kinase 4 substrate that both activates and inhibits kinase activity depending on its phosphorylation state.

Boese CJ, Nye J, Buster DW, McLamarrah TA, Byrnes AE, Slep KC, Rusan NM , Rogers GC

Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2018;29(23):2874-2886. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E18-07-0445.

40. An ordered pattern of Ana2 phosphorylation by Plk4 is required for centriole assembly.

McLamarrah TA, Buster DW, Galletta BJ, Boese CJ, Ryniawec JM, Hollingsworth NA, Byrnes AE, Brownlee CW, Slep KC, Rusan NM , Rogers GC

Journal of Cell Biology. 2018;217(4):1217-1231. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201605106.

39. Same but Different - Pleiotropy in Centrosome-Related Microcephaly.

O'Neill R, Schoborg TA, Rusan NM

Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2018;29(3):241-246. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E17-03-0192.

38. The Centrosomin CM2 Domain is a Multi-Functional Binding Domain with Distinct Cell Cycle Roles.

Citron YR, Fagerstrom CJ, Keszthelyi B, Huang B, Rusan NM , Kelly MJS, Agard DA

PLOS ONE. 2018;13(1):e0190530. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190530.

37. A centrosomal scaffold shows some self-control

Varadarajan R, Hammer JA, Rusan NM

Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2017;292(50):20410-20411. doi: 10.1074/jbc.H117.806018.

36. Stu2 uses a 15 nm parallel coiled coil for kinetochore localization and concomitant regulation of the mitotic spindle

Haase KP, Fox JC, Byrnes AE, Adikes RC, Speed SK, Haase J, Friedman B, Cook DM, Bloom K, Rusan NM , Slep KC

Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2018;29(3):285-294. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E17-01-0057.

35. Germ Cell-less Promotes Centrosome Segregation to Induce Germ Cell Formation

Lerit DA, Shebelut CW, Lawlor KJ, Rusan NM , Gavis ER, Schedl P, Deshpande G

Cell Reports. 2017;18(4):831-839. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.12.074.

★ Selected for Cover ↗

34. Actin dynamics and competition for myosin monomer govern the sequential amplification of myosin filaments

Beach JR, Bruun KS, Shao L, Li D, Swider Z, Remmert K, Zhang Y, Conti MA, Adelstein RS, Rusan NM , Betzig E, Hammer JA

Nature Cell Biology. 2017;19(2):85-93. doi: 10.1038/ncb3463.

33. A centrosome interactome provides insight into organelle assembly and reveals a non-duplication role for Plk4

Galletta BJ, Fagerstrom CJ, Schoborg TA, McLamarrah TA, Ryniawec JM, Buster DW, Slep KC, Rogers GC, Rusan NM

Nature Communications. 2016;7:12476. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12476.

32. Taking Centrioles to the Elimination Round

Schoborg TA, Rusan NM.

Developmental Cell. 2016;38(1):10-12. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2016.06.027.

31. Asterless is required for centriole length control and sperm development

Galletta BJ, Jacobs KC, Fagerstrom CJ, Rusan NM

Journal of Cell Biology. 2016;213(4):435-450. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201501120.

★ Selected for Cover ↗

30. Newly Characterized Region of CP190 Associates with Microtubules and Mediates Proper Spindle Morphology in Drosophila Stem Cells

Plevock KM, Galletta BJ, Slep KC*, Rusan NM *

PLOS ONE. 2015;10(12):e0144174. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144174.

(* co-corresponding authors)

29. An Asp-CaM complex is required for Centrosome-Pole Cohesion and Centrosome Inheritance in Neural Stem Cells

Schoborg TA, Zajac AL, Fagerstrom CJ, Guillen RX, Rusan NM

Journal of Cell Biology. 2015;211(5):987-998. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201509054.

★ JCB In Focus — “How the spindle keeps its focus” ↗

28. A novel GSK3-regulated APC:Axin interaction regulates Wnt signaling driving a catalytic cycle of βcatenin destruction

Pronobis MI, Rusan NM , Peifer M

eLife. 2015;4:e08022. doi: 10.7554/eLife.08022.

27. Proper symmetric and asymmetric ER partitioning requires astral microtubules.

Smyth JT, Schoborg TA, Bergman ZJ, Riggs B, Rusan NM

Open Biology. 2015;5(8):150067. doi: 10.1098/rsob.150067.

★ Selected for Cover ↗

26. A yeast two-hybrid approach for probing protein-protein interactions at the centrosome

Galletta BJ, Rusan NM

Methods in Cell Biology. 2015;129:251-277. doi: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2015.03.012.

25. Interphase centrosome organization by the PLP-Cnn scaffold is required for centrosome function

Lerit DA, Jordan HA, Poulton JS, Fagerstrom CJ, Galletta BJ, Peifer M, Rusan NM

Journal of Cell Biology. 2015;210(1):79-97. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201503117.

24. Two Polo-like kinase 4 binding domains in Asterless perform distinct roles in regulating kinase stability

Klebba JE#, Galletta BJ#, Nye J, Plevock KM, Buster DW, Hollingsworth NA, Slep KC, Rusan NM *, Rogers GC*.

Journal of Cell Biology. 2015;208(4):401-414. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201410105.

(# co-first authors) (* co-corresponding authors)

★ JCB In This Issue — “Asterless amplifies Plk4” ↗

23. Autoinhibition and relief mechanism for Polo-like kinase 4

Klebba JE, Buster DW, McLamarraha TA, Rusan NM , Rogers GC

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2015;112(7):E657-E666. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1417967112.

22. Live imaging of Drosophila larval neuroblasts

Lerit DA, Plevock KM, Rusan NM

Journal of Visualized Experiments. 2014;(89):51756. doi: 10.3791/51756.

21. Drosophila Pericentrin requires interaction with Calmodulin for its function at centrosomes and neuronal basal bodies, but not at sperm basal bodies

Galletta BJ#, Guillen RX#, Fagerstrom CJ, Brownlee CW, Lerit DA, Megraw TL, Rogers GC, Rusan NM .

Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2014;25(18):2682-2694. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E13-10-0617.

(# co-first authors)

★ Highlights from MBoC selection ↗

★ Selected for Cover ↗

20. Polo-like kinase 4 autodestructs by generating its Slimb-binding phosphodegron

Klebba JE, Buster DW, Nguyen AL, Swatkoski S, Gucek M, Rusan NM , Rogers GC.

Current Biology. 2013;23(22):2255-2261. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.09.019.

19. PLP inhibits the activity of interphase centrosomes to ensure their proper segregation in stem cells

Lerit DA, Rusan NM .

Journal of Cell Biology. 2013;202(7):1013-1022. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201303141.

★ JCB In Focus — “PLP helps the mother centrosome stay mum” ↗

18. Organelle asymmetry for proper fitness, function, and fate

Lerit DA, Smyth JT, Rusan NM .

Chromosome Research. 2013;21(3):271-286. doi: 10.1007/s10577-013-9350-3.

17. Two forkhead transcription factors regulate the division of cardiac progenitor cells by a Polo-dependent pathway

Ahmad SM, Tansey TR, Busser BW, Nolte MT, Jeffries N, Gisselbrecht SS, Rusan NM , Michelson AM.

Developmental Cell. 2012;23(1):97-111. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2012.05.011.

16. Phosphoregulation of STIM1 leads to exclusion of the endoplasmic reticulum from the mitotic spindle

Smyth JT, Beg AM, Wu S, Putney JW Jr, Rusan NM .

Current Biology. 2012;22(16):1487-1493. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.05.057.

15. Tubulin nucleotide status controls Sas-4-dependent pericentriolar material recruitment

Gopalakrishnan J, Chim YC, Ha A, Basiri ML, Lerit DA, Rusan NM , Avidor-Reiss T.

Nature Cell Biology. 2012;14(8):865-873. doi: 10.1038/ncb2527.

14. Centrosome function: sometimes less is more

Rusan NM , Rogers GC.

Traffic. 2009;10(5):472-481. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0854.2009.00880.x.

13. The SCF Slimb ubiquitin ligaseregulates Plk4/Sak levels to block centriole reduplication

Rogers GC, Rusan NM , Roberts DM, Peifer M, Rogers SL

Journal of Cell Biology. 2009;184(2):225-239. doi: 10.1083/jcb.200808049.

★ JCB In This Issue - "Birth control for centrioles" ↗

★ Selected for Cover ↗

12. Putting the model to the test: are APC proteins essential for neuronal polarity, axon outgrowth, and axon targeting?

Rusan NM , Akong K, Peifer M

Journal of Cell Biology. 2008;183(2):203-212. doi: 10.1083/jcb.200807079.

★ JCB In This Issue - "APC ain't always necessary for axons" ↗

★ Selected for Cover ↗

11. Original CIN: reviewing roles for APC in chromosome instability.

Rusan NM , Peifer M

Journal of Cell Biology. 2008;181(5):719-726. doi: 10.1083/jcb.200802107.

10. A multicomponent assembly pathway contributes to the formation of acentrosomal microtubule arrays in interphase Drosophila cells

Rogers GC, Rusan NM , Peifer M, Rogers SL

Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2008;19(7):3163-3178. doi: 10.1091/mbc.e07-10-1069.

★ MBoC INCYTES ↗

★ Selected for Cover ↗

9. A role for a novel centrosome cycle in asymmetric cell division

Rusan NM , Peifer M.

Journal of Cell Biology. 2007;177(1):13-20. doi: 10.1083/jcb.200612140.

★ JCB In This Issue - "Centriolar inequality" ↗

★ Selected for Cover ↗

8. SV40 VP2 and VP3 insertion into ER membranes is controlled by the capsid protein VP1: implications for DNA translocation out of the ER

Daniels R, Rusan NM , Wadsworth P, Hebert DN

Molecular Cell. 2006;24(6):955-966. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2006.11.001.

7. Simian virus 40 late proteins possess lytic properties that render them capable of permeabilizing cellular membranes

Daniels R, Rusan NM , Wilbuer AK, Norkin LC, Wadsworth P, Hebert DN

Journal of Virology. 2006;80(13):6575-6587. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00347-06.

★ Selected for Cover ↗

6. Stable expression of fluorescently tagged proteins for studies of mitosis in mammalian cells

Wadsworth P, Rusan NM , Tulu US, Fagerstrom C

Nature Methods. 2005;2(12):981-987. doi: 10.1038/nmeth1205-981.

5. Centrosome fragments and microtubules are transported asymmetrically away from division plane in anaphase

Rusan NM , Wadsworth P.

Journal of Cell Biology. 2005;168(1):21-28. doi: 10.1083/jcb.200409153.

★ JCB In This Issue — “Thinning microtubules” ↗

4. Peripheral, non-centrosome-associated microtubules contribute to spindle formation in centrosome-containing cells

Tulu US, Rusan NM , Wadsworth P

Current Biology. 2003;13(21):1894-1899. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2003.10.002.

★ Selected for Cover ↗

3. Reorganization of the microtubule array in prophase/prometaphase requires cytoplasmic dynein-dependent microtubule transport

Rusan NM , Tulu US, Fagerstrom C, Wadsworth P

Journal of Cell Biology. 2002;158(6):997-1003. doi: 10.1083/jcb.200204109.

★ JCB In This Issue - "Microtubules get swept up in the excitement of mitosis" ↗

★ Selected for Cover ↗

2. Noscapine alters microtubule dynamics in living cells and inhibits the progression of melanoma

Landen JW, Lang R, McMahon SJ, Rusan NM , Yvon AM, Adams AW, Sorcinelli MD, Campbell R, Bonaccorsi P, Ansel JC, Archer DR, Wadsworth P, Armstrong CA, Joshi HC

Cancer Research. 2002;62(14):4109-4114.

1. Cell cycle-dependent changes in microtubule dynamics in living cells expressing green fluorescent protein-alpha tubulin

Rusan NM , Fagerstrom CJ, Yvon AM, Wadsworth P

Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2001;12(4):971-980. doi: 10.1091/mbc.12.4.971.