Melissa Rolls
About Me
| Yale University, New Haven, CT | B.S. | 1995 | Biology |
| Harvard University, Cambridge, MA | Ph.D. | 2001 | Biological and Biomedical Sciences |
| University of Oregon, Eugene, OR | Postdoctoral | 2007 | Neuroscience and Molecular Biology |
Program or Departmental Affiliations
| The BMMB Graduate Program | Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Graduate Program | Neuroscience Graduate Program |
Centers
| Center for Cellular Dynamics Co-Director |
Penn State Medical Scientist Training Program Associate Director |
Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Program Chair |
Research Summary
We use model organisms to understand neuronal polarity and neuronal injury responses. We are interested in how machinery found in all cells is adapted in neurons to generate extremely long cells that have two different types of compartments: axons and dendrites. We are particularly interested in the microtubule cytoskeleton as it forms the tracks that are used for long-range directional transport in neurons. While microtubules must maintain stable polarized tracks for a lifetime, individual microtubules are dynamic and constantly rebuild themselves. This balance between stability and dynamics is essential for neurons to be healthy for a lifetime, and adaptable enough to respond to injury and stress. We are studying regulators of microtubule stability and dynamics and how they allow neurons to remain healthy in normal conditions, and also facilitate neuroprotection and regeneration after injury.
Honors and Awards
| 2021 | 2021 Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award |
| 2019 - | Paul Berg Professorship in Biochemistry |
| 2016 - 2018 | Shaffer Career Development Professorship in Science, Penn State |
| 2017 | Dean’s Climate and Diversity Award, Eberly College of Science, Penn State |
| 2009 - 2013 | Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences |
| 2012 | Tershak Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award, Penn State |
| 2011 | Junior Career Award, American Society for Cell Biology, Women in Cell Biology Committee |
Selected Publications
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Kumar, N. Carey, N., Hertzler, J. I., Bernard, A. R., Mahata, G., Kothe, G. O., Shen, Y., Rolls, M. M. (2025) Identification of a cytosol to nucleus feedback loop that regulates neuronal microtubule nucleation. Journal of Cell Biology in press.
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Mahata, G., Chen, L., Kothe, G. O., Rolls, M. M. (2025) DLK orchestrates a modular transcriptional response to axon injury with separate roles for Fos and Jun. PLOS Genetics in press.
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Stone, M. C., Kothe, G. O., Jegla, T. J., Rolls, M. M. (2025) Neurite branching is associated with mixed microtubule polarity in sea anemone neurons. Journal of Experimental Biology doi: 10.1242/jeb.251169.
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Scanlon, H. G., Mahata, G., Nelson, A. C., McKinley, S. A., Rolls, M. M., Ciocanel, M. V. (2025) Nucleation feedback can drive establishment and maintenance of biased microtubule polarity in neurites. Mathematical Biosciences doi: 10.1016/j.mbs.2025.109538.
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Thyagarajan, P., Mirshahi, H. S., Kothe, G. O., Kumar, N., Long, M., Weiner, A. T., Rolls, M. M. (2025) Endocytosis of Wnt ligands from support cells positions microtubule nucleation sites in dendrites. PLOS Biology 23:e3002973.
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Hertzler, J. I., Teng, J., Bernard, A. R., Stone, M. C., Kline, K. L., Mahata, G., Kumar, N., Rolls, M. M. (2024) Voltage-gated calcium channels act upstream of adenylyl cyclase Ac78C to promote timely initiation of dendrite regeneration. PLOS Genetics 20:e1011388..
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Hertzler, J. I., Rolls M. M. (2024) Out with the old, in with the new: dendrite degeneration and regeneration. In Wiring the nervous system: mechanisms of axonal and dendritic remodeling in health and disease. Eds. Tran, T. S., Yaron, A.
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Hertzler, J. I., Bernard, A. R., Rolls, M. M. (2023) Dendrite regeneration mediates functional recovery after complete dendrite removal. Developmental Biology 497: 18-25.
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Stone, M. C., Mauger, A. S, (equal contributors), Rolls, M. M. (2024) Ciliated sensory neurons can regenerate axons after complete axon removal. Journal of Experimental Biology. 226: doi:10.1242/jeb.245717.
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Stone, M. C., Seebold, D. Y., Shorey, M., Kothe, G. O., Rolls, M. M. (2022) Dendrite regeneration in the vertebrate spinal cord. Developmental Biology 488:114-119.
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Thyagarajan, P., Feng, C., Lee, D., Shorey, M., Rolls, M. M. (2022) Microtubule polarity is instructive for many aspects of neuronal polarity. Developmental Biology 486:56-70.
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Shorey, M., Rao, K., Stone, M. C., Mattie, F. J., Sagasti, A., Rolls, M. M. (2021) Microtubule organization of vertebrate sensory neurons in vivo. Developmental Biology 478:1-12.
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Feng, C., Cleary, J. M., Kothe, G. O., Stone, M. C., Weiner, A. T., Hertzler, J. I., Hancock, W. O., Rolls, M. M. (2021) Trim9 and Klp61F promote polymerization of new dendritic microtubules along parallel microtubules. Journal of Cell Science 134(11):jcs258437.
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Rolls, M. M. (2022) Principles of microtubule polarity in linear cells. Developmental Biology. 483: 112-117.
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Weiner, A. T., Thyagarajan, P., Shen, Y., Rolls, M. M. (2021) To nucleate or not, that is the question in neurons. Neuroscience Letters 751:135806.
- Rolls, M. M., Thyagarajan, P., Feng, C. (2020) Microtubule dynamics in healthy and injured neurons. Developmental Neurobiology doi: 10.1002/dneu.22746.
- Stone, M. C., Kothe, G. O., Rolls, M. M., Jegla, T. J. (2020) Cytoskeletal and synaptic polarity of LWamide-like+ ganglion neurons in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Journal of Experimental Biology doi: 10.1242/jeb.233197.
- Hertzler, J. I., Simonovitch, S. I., Albertson, R. M., Weiner, A. T., Nye, D. M. R., Rolls, M. M. (2020) Kinetochore proteins suppress neuronal microtubule dynamics and promote dendrite regeneration. Molecular Biology of the Cell 31: 2125-2138.
- Shorey, M., Stone, M. C., Mandel, J., Rolls, M. M. (2020) Neurons survive simultaneous injury to axons and dendrites and regrow both types of processes in vivo. Developmental Biology 465: 108-118.
- Weiner, A. T., Seebold, D. Y., Torres-Gutierrez, P., Folker, C., Swope, R. D., Kothe, G. O., Stoltz, J. G., Zalenski, Kozlowski, K., Barbera, D. J., Patel, M. A., Thyagarajan, P., Shorey, M., Nye, D. M., Keegan, M., Behari, K., Song, S., Axelrod, J. D., Rolls, M. M. (2020) Endosomal Wnt signaling proteins control microtubule nucleation in dendrites. PLOS Biology 18: e3000647.
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Rolls, M. M., Thyagarajan, P., Feng, C. (2020) Microtubule dynamics in healthy and injured neurons. Developmental Neurobiology doi: 10.1002/dneu.22746.
- Nye, D. M. R., Albertson, R. M., Weiner, A. T., Hertzler, J. I., Shorey, M., Goberdhan, D. C. I, Wilson, C., Janes, K. A., Rolls, M. M. (2020) The receptor tyrosine kinase Ror is required for dendrite regeneration in Drosophila neurons. PLOS Biology 18: e3000657.
- Feng, C., Thyagarajan, P., Shorey, M., Seebold, D. Y., Weiner, A. T., Albertson, R. M., Rao, K. S., Sagasti, A., Goetschius, D. J., Rolls, M. M. (2019) Patronin-mediated minus end growth is required for dendritic microtubule polarity. Journal of Cell Biology 218: 2309-2328.
- Weiner, A. T., Seebold, D. Y., Michael, N. L., Guignet, M. L., Feng, C., Follick, B., Yusko, B. A., Wasilko, N. P., Torres-Gutierrez, P., Rolls, M. M. (2018) Identification of proteins required for precise positioning of Apc2 in dendrites. G3 8:1841-533.
- Rao, K. S., Rolls, M. M. (2017) Two Drosophila model neurons can regenerate axons from the stump or a converted dendrite, with feedback between the two sites. Neural Development 12:15.
- Chen, L., Nye, D. M., Stone, M. C., Weiner, A. T., Gheres, K. W., Xiong, X., Collins, C. A., Rolls, M. M. (2016) Mitochondria and caspases tune Nmnat-mediated stabilization to promote axon regeneration. PLOS Genetics 12:e1006503.
- Jegla, T., Nguyen M.M., Feng, C., Goetschius, D.J., Luna, E., van Rossum, D.B., Kamel, B., Pisupati, A., Milner, E.S., Rolls, M.M. (2016) Bilaterian giant ankyrins have a common evolutionary origin and play a conserved role in the formation of a diffusion barrier at the axon initial segment. PLOS Genetics, 12:e1006457.
- Rao, K., Stone, M. C. Weiner, A. T., Gheres, K. W., Zhou, C., Deitcher, D. L., Levitan, E. S., Rolls, M. M. (2016) Spastin, atlastin, and ER relocalization are involved in axon but not dendrite regeneration. Molecular Biology of the Cell 27: 3245-56.
- Tao, J., Feng, C. Rolls, M. M. (2016) The microtubule-severing protein fidgetin acts after dendrite injury to promote their degeneration. Journal of Cell Science 129: 3274-81.
- Weiner, A. T., Lanz, M. C., Goetschius, D. J., Hancock, W. O., Rolls, M. M. (2016) Kinesin-2 and Apc function at dendrite branch points to resolve microtubule collisions. Cytoskeleton 73: 35-44.