Department of Biology · UNC Chapel Hill

The Rogers Lab

Microtubule maintenance, mechanosensation, and cytoskeletal dynamics

Research

Microtubule tracks carry diverse cargo — vesicles, organelles, chromosomes — across the cell. If the tracks break, traffic stops. The downstream consequences may include neurodegeneration, cell death, and cancer. We study how cells maintain microtubule integrity under mechanical and chemical stress.

Our work centers on α-tubulin acetyltransferase (αTAT), which acetylates α-tubulin at lysine 40 within the microtubule lumen. This modification confers mechanical resilience, protecting microtubules from fatigue and breakage. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we generated animals that completely lack αTAT. Their microtubules fracture during ordinary locomotion, with striking sensory consequences: these flies cannot sense touch, detect sound, or perceive gravity. Each modality depends on mechanosensory neurons whose microtubules must endure sustained physical force.

αTAT's protective role extends beyond mechanics. Cells lacking the enzyme are more susceptible to chemical toxins implicated in carcinogenesis and diabetes — suggesting αTAT shields microtubules from a broader range of insults than physical stress alone.

αTAT is conserved from flies to humans. Defining how it maintains microtubule integrity in Drosophila should illuminate its role in human pathology, particularly sensory neuropathies and conditions linked to chronic toxic exposure.

People
Steve Rogers
Associate Professor, Department of Biology
Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences
Awards
  • Beckman Young Investigator Award
  • American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant
  • March of Dimes Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar
Teaching

BIOL 240 Introduction to Cell Biology · BIOL 544L Course-based Research Experience in Diseases of the Cytoskeleton

Bio

B.S. in molecular biology from Purdue University. Ph.D. in cell biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana, studying regulation of organelle transport by microtubule motor proteins and unconventional myosins with Dr. Vladimir Gelfand. Postdoc with Dr. Ron Vale at UCSF, where he developed methods to use cultured Drosophila cells to study the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons and studied proteins that interact with microtubule plus ends to control dynamic instability and regulate signaling pathways in embryonic morphogenesis.

Current Group

Ashley Ojageer Olivia Biddix Harper Boatwright

Lab Alumni

Postdocs
Derek Applewhite — Professor, Reed College
Greg Rogers — Professor, University of Arizona
Graduate Trainees
Alyssa Cope
Josh Currie (Currie Regeneration Lab)
Kyle Grode
Kim Marston
Kathryn Trogden
Undergraduate Researchers
Shawna Kelly Ashton Butler Greg Schimizzi Sina Tashakkor Haley Simpson Darby Keller Emily Simon Michelle Kuei Elizabeth Detmar Kacy Yount Ahaj Shroff Junior Jaramillo Dana Hunt Thi Vu Amber Collins Clarisel Lozano Tiffany Amber Butcher Claire Skinner Stephen Wenzel Makalah Saunders Moises Guerro-De Lerma Armstrong Htoo
Publications
Google Scholar
  1. 2025 Dekker J, Schot R, Aldinger KA, Everman DB, Washington C, Jones JR, Sullivan JA, Spillmann RC, Shashi V, Vitobello A, Denommé-Pichon AS, Mosca-Boidron AL, Perrin L, Auvin S, Zaki MS, Gleeson JG, Meave N, Wallace C, Nambot S, Delanne J, Ruggiero SM, Helbig I, Fitzgerald MP, Leventer RJ, Grange DK, Argilli E, Sherr EH, Prakash S, Neilson DE, Nicita F, Sferra A, Bertini ES, Aiello C, Brockmann K, Kuranov AB, Kaulfuss S, Basit S, Alluqmani M, Almatrafi A, Friedman JM, Guimond C, Mohammed F, Sharma P, Goel D, Wirth T, Anheim M, Bahena P, Koparir A, Kolokotronis K, Vona B, Haaf T, Kunstmann E, Maroofian R, Sczakiel HL, Boschann F, Misra-Isrie M, Louie RJ, Stolerman ES, Sanchez-Lara PA, Mergler S, Oegema R, Zarate YA, Kariminejad A, Tajsharghi H, Zeidler S, Kievit AJA, Bouman A, Cappuccio G, Brunetti-Pierri N, Stuurman KE, Swols DM, Tekin M, Upadia J, Martin DM, Craven D, Hiatt SM, van de Pol LA, D'Arco F, Margot H, Wilke M, Yousefi S, Barakat TS, van Veghel-Plandsoen MM, Aronica E, Anink J, Rogers SL, Slep KC, Doherty D, Dobyns WB, Mancini GMS. A clinical and genotype-phenotype analysis of MACF1 variants. Am J Hum Genet. 112(10):2363-2380.
  2. 2024 Sun KK, Rogers SL, Lu W, Lee BS, Gelfand VI. EB-SUN, a new microtubule plus-end tracking protein in Drosophila. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 35(12):ar147.
  3. 2023 Santos CV, Rogers SL, Carter AP. CryoET shows cofilactin filaments inside the microtubule lumen. EMBO Rep. 24(11):e57264.
  4. 2022 Zhao AJ, Montes-Laing J, Perry WMG, Shiratori M, Merfeld E, Rogers SL, Applewhite DA. The Drosophila spectraplakin Short stop regulates focal adhesion dynamics by cross-linking microtubules and actin. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 33(5):ar19.
  5. 2021 Luhur A, Mariyappa D, Klueg KM, Rogers SL, Zelhof AC. Serum-free adapted Drosophila S2R+ line is amenable to RNA interference. MicroPublication Biology.
  6. 2020 Platenkamp A, Detmar E, Sepulveda L, Ritz A, Rogers SL, Applewhite DA. The Drosophila melanogaster Rab GAP RN-tre cross-talks with the Rho1 signaling pathway to regulate non-muscle myosin II localization and function. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 31(21):2379-2397.
  7. 2020 Coombes CE, Saunders HA, Johnson-Schlitz DM, Reid TA, Parmar S, Rogers SL, Parrish JZ, Wildonger J, Gardner MK. Non-enzymatic activity of the α-Tubulin Acetyltransferase αTAT limits synaptic bouton growth in neurons. Current Biology. S0960-9822(19)31617-3.
  8. 2019 Chai F, Xu W, Musoke T, Tarabelsi G, Assaad S, Freedman J, Peterson R, Piotrowski K, Byrnes J, Rogers SL, Veraksa A. Structure-function analysis of β-arrestin Kurtz reveals a critical role of receptor interactions in downregulation of GPCR signaling in vivo. Developmental Biology. 455:409-419.
  9. 2018 Yan C, Wang F, Peng Y, Williams CR, Jenkins B, Wildonger J, Kim H, Perr JB, Vaughan JC, Kern ME, Falvo MR, O'Brien T, Superfine R, Tuthill JC, Xiang Y, Rogers SL, Parrish JZ. Microtubule acetylation is required for mechanosensation in Drosophila. Cell Reports. 25:1051-1065.e6. (Co-corresponding author)
  10. 2018 Peters KA, Detmar E, Sepulveda L, Del Valle C, Valsquier R, Ritz A, Rogers SL, Applewhite DA. A cell-based assay to investigate non-muscle myosin II contractility via the Folded-gastrulation signaling pathway in Drosophila S2R+ cells. J Vis Exp. 138.
  11. 2016 Mino RE, Rogers SL, Risinger AL, Rohena C, Banerjee S, Bhat MA. Drosophila Ringmaker regulates microtubule stabilization and axonal extension during embryonic development. Journal of Cell Science. 129:3282-94.
  12. 2015 Girdler GC, Applewhite DA, Rogers SL, Röper K. The Gas2 family protein Pigs is a +TIP microtubule tracker that affects cytoskeletal organization. Journal of Cell Science. 129:121-34.
  13. 2015 Trogden KP, Rogers SL. TOG Proteins are spatially regulated by Rac-GSK3β to control interphase microtubule dynamics. PLOS One. 10(9):e0138966.
  14. 2015 Grode KD, Rogers SL. The non-catalytic domains of Drosophila katanin regulate its abundance and microtubule-disassembly activity in living cells. PLOS One. 10(4):e0123912.
  15. 2014 Manning AJ, Rogers SL. The Fog signaling pathway: Insights into signaling in morphogenesis. Developmental Biology. 394:6-14.
  16. 2014 Fox JN, Howard AE, Currie JD, Rogers SL, Slep KC. The XMAP215 family drives microtubule polymerization using a structurally diverse TOG array. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 25:2375-92.
  17. 2014 Kushner EJ, Ferro LS, Liu JY, Durrant JR, Rogers SL, Dudley AC, Bautch VL. Excess centrosomes disrupt endothelial cell migration via centrosome scattering. Journal of Cell Biology. 206:257-72.
  18. 2014 Rogers SL. Short-circuiting microtubule plus and minus end proteins in spindle positioning. EMBO J. 33:96-8.
  19. 2014 Montgomery ER, Temple BRS, Peters KA, Tolbert CE, Booker BK, Martin JW, Hamilton TP, Smolski WC, Rogers SL, Jones AM, Meigs TE. Gα12 structural determinants of Hsp90 interaction are necessary for Serum Response Element-mediated transcriptional activation. Molecular Pharmacology. 85:586-97.
  20. 2013 Manning AJ, Peters KA, Peifer M, Rogers SL. Regulation of epithelial morphogenesis by a G-protein coupled receptor, Mist, and its ligand, Fog. Science Signaling. 6:ra98.
  21. 2013 Peters KA, Rogers SL. Drosophila Ric-8 interacts with the Gα12/13 subunit, Concertina, during activation of the Folded gastrulation pathway. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 24:3460-71.
  22. 2013 Applewhite DA, Grode KD, Duncan MC, Rogers SL. The actin-microtubule cross-linking activity of Drosophila Short stop is regulated by intramolecular inhibition. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 24:2885-93.
  23. 2013 Leano JB, Rogers SL, Slep KC. A Cryptic TOG Domain with a Distinct Architecture Underlies CLASP-Dependent Bipolar Spindle Formation. Structure. 21:939-50.
  24. 2012 Bosch DE, Kimple AJ, Manning AJ, Muller RE, Willard FS, Machius M, Rogers SL, Siderovski DP. Structural determinants of RGS-RhoGEF signaling critical to Entamoeba histolytica pathogenesis. Structure. 21:65-75.
  25. 2011 Zhang D, Grode KD, Stewman S, Diaz D, Liebling E, Currie JD, Buster DW, Asenjo AB, Sosa HJ, Ross J, Ma A, Rogers SL, Sharp DJ. Drosophila Katanin is a microtubule depolymerase that regulates cortical-microtubule plus end interactions and cell migration. Nature Cell Biology. 13:361-9.
  26. 2011 Currie JD, Rogers SL. D17-C3, a novel Drosophila melanogaster cell culture system for studying cell motility. Nature Protocols. 18:1632-41.
  27. 2011 Currie JD, Stewman S, Schimizzi G, Slep KC, Ma A, Rogers SL. The microtubule lattice and plus-end association of Drosophila Mini spindles is spatially regulated to fine-tune microtubule dynamics. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 22:4343-61.
  28. 2010 Banerjee S, Blauth K, Peters K, Rogers SL, Fanning AS, Bhat MA. Drosophila Neurexin IV interacts with Roundabout and is required for repulsive midline axon guidance. Journal of Neuroscience. 30:5653-67.
  29. 2010 Applewhite DA, Grode KD, Keller D, Zadeh A, Slep KC, Rogers SL. The spectraplakin Short stop is an actin-microtubule crosslinker that contributes to organization of the microtubule network. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 21:1714-24.
  30. 2010 Schimizzi GV, Currie JD, Rogers SL. Expression levels of a kinesin-13 microtubule depolymerase modulates the effectiveness of anti-microtubule agents. PLOS One. 5:e11381.
  31. 2010 Taylor SM, Nevis KR, Park HL, Rogers GC, Rogers SL, Cook JG, Bautch VL. Angiogenic factor signaling regulates centrosome duplication in endothelial cells of developing blood vessels. Blood. 116:3108-17.
  32. 2009 Wheeler SR, Banerjee S, Blauth K, Rogers SL, Bhat MA, Crews ST. Neurexin IV and Wrapper interactions mediate Drosophila midline glial migration and axonal ensheathment. Development. 136:1147-57.
  33. 2009 Rogers GC, Roberts DM, Rusan N, Peifer M, Rogers SL. The SCF-Slimb ubiquitin ligase regulates Plk4/Sak levels to block centriole duplication. Journal of Cell Biology. 184:241-252.
  34. 2008 Spero RC, Vicci L, Cribb J, Bober D, Swaminathan V, O'Brien ET, Rogers SL, Superfine R. High throughput system for magnetic manipulation of cells, polymers, and biomaterials. Review of Scientific Instrumentation. 79:083707.
  35. 2008 Rogers GD, Rusan NM, Peifer M, Rogers SL. Identification of assembly factors that contribute to the formation of acentrosomal microtubule arrays in interphase Drosophila cells. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 19:3163-78.
  36. 2008 Rogers SL, Rogers GC. Culture of Drosophila S2 cells and their use for RNAi-mediated loss-of-function studies and immunofluorescence microscopy. Nature Protocols. 3:606-11.
  37. 2007 Jiang L, Rogers SL, Crews ST. The Drosophila Dead end Arf-like 3 GTPase controls vesicle trafficking during tracheal fusion cell morphogenesis. Developmental Biology. 11:487-99.
  38. 2007 Ciavatta D, Rogers SL, Magnuson T. Drosophila CTCF is required for Fab-8 enhancer blocking activity in S2 cells. Journal of Molecular Biology. 373:233-9.
  39. 2007 Gates J, Mahaffey JP, Rogers SL, Emerson M, Rogers EM, Sottile, VanVactor D, Gertler FB, Peifer M. Enabled plays key roles in embryonic epithelial morphogenesis in Drosophila. Development. 134:2027-39.
  40. 2007 Kim H, Ling S, Rogers GC, Kural C, Selvin PR, Rogers SL, Gelfand VI. Microtubule binding by dynactin is required for microtubule organization but not cargo transport. Journal of Cell Biology. 176:641-651.
  41. 2005 Dean SO, Rogers SL, Stuurmann N, Vale RD, Spudich JA. Distinct pathways control the initial recruitment and the subsequent maintenance of myosin II at the cleavage furrow during cytokinesis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 102:13473-8.
  42. 2005 Dzhindzhev N, Rogers SL, Vale RD, Ohkura H. Distinct mechanisms govern the localization of Drosophila CLIP-190 to unattached kinetochores and microtubule plus ends. Journal of Cell Science. 118:3781-90.
  43. 2005 Slep KC, Rogers SL, Elliott SL, Ohkura H, Kolodziej PA, Vale RD. Structural determinants for EB1-mediated recruitment of APC and spectraplakins to the microtubule plus end. Journal of Cell Biology. 168:587-598.
  44. 2005 Menella V, Rogers GC, Rogers SL, Buster DW, Vale RD, Sharp DJ. Functionally distinct kinesin-13 family members cooperate to regulate microtubule dynamics during interphase. Nature Cell Biology. 7:235-245.
  45. 2005 Rogers GC, Rogers SL, Sharp DJ. Spindle microtubules in flux. Journal of Cell Science. 118:1105-1116.
  46. 2005 Barmchi PB, Rogers SL, Hacker U. DRhoGEF2 regulates actin organization and contractility in the Drosophila blastoderm embryo throughout morphogenesis. Journal of Cell Biology. 168:575-585.
  47. 2004 Rogers SL, Weidemann U, Hacker U, Vale RD. Drosophila RhoGEF2 associates with microtubule plus ends in an EB1-dependent manner. Current Biology. 14:1827-1833.
  48. 2004 Rogers GC, Rogers SL, Schwimmer TA, Stubbert J, Walczak CE, Vale RD, Scholey JM, Sharp DJ. Identification and characterization of three Kin I family members in Drosophila: evidence that mitosis involves the coordinated action of functionally distinct classes of Kin I motors. Nature. 427:364-370.
  49. 2003 Rogers SL, Weidemann U, Stuurman N, Vale RD. Molecular requirements for actin-based lamella formation in Drosophila S2 cells. Journal of Cell Biology. 162:1079-1088.
  50. 2003 Rothenberg ME, Rogers SL, Vale RD, Jan LY, Jan YN. Drosophila Pod-1 controls the targeting but not outgrowth of axons and cross-links both actin and microtubules. Neuron. 39:779-791.
  51. 2002 Rogers SL, Rogers GC, Sharp DJ, Vale RD. Drosophila EB1 is essential for proper assembly, dynamics, and positioning of the mitotic spindle. Journal of Cell Biology. 158:873-884.
  52. 2001 Klopfenstein DR, Vale RD, Rogers SL. Motor protein receptors: moonlighting on other jobs. Cell. 103:537-540.
  53. 2001 Reilein AR, Rogers SL, Tuma CT, Gelfand VI. Regulation of organelle transport. International Review of Cytology and Cell Biology. 204:179-238.
  54. 2000 Rogers SL, Gelfand VI. Membrane trafficking, organelle transport, and the cytoskeleton. Current Opinion in Cell Biology. 12:57-62.
  55. 1999 Rogers SL, Karcher RL, Roland JT, Minin AA, Steffen W, Gelfand VI. Regulation of melanosome movement in the cell cycle by reversible association with myosin V. Journal of Cell Biology. 146:1265-1276.
  56. 1998 Szczesna-Skorupa E, Chen CD, Rogers S, Kemper B. Mobility of cytochrome p450 in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 95:14793-14798.
  57. 1998 Rogers SL, Tint IS, Gelfand VI. In vitro motility assay for melanophore pigment organelles. Methods in Enzymology. 298:361-372.
  58. 1998 Rogers SL, Gelfand VI. Myosin cooperates with microtubule motors during organelle transport in melanophores. Current Biology. 8:161-164.
  59. 1997 Rogers SL, Tint IS, Fanapour PC, Gelfand VI. Regulated bidirectional motility of melanophore pigment granules along microtubules in vitro. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 94:3720-3725.
Contact

UNC students interested in doing research should review our active projects and read about the research experience and expectations.

Email is the best way to reach Prof. Rogers: srogers@bio.unc.edu