Professor John Rostas - Selected Publications

Lengyel I., Voss K., Cammarota M., Bradshaw K., Brent V., Murphy K.P.S.J, Giese K.P, Rostas J.A.P. and Bliss T.V.P. (2004)  Autonomous activity of CaMKII is only transiently increased following the induction of long-term potentiation in the hippocampus. Eur J Neurosci   20, 3063-3072

This was the first demonstration that the current understanding of CaMKII regulation in vivo is inadequate and that present models of its role in LTP need to be revised.  This formed the basis for our current work (first paper published in 2006) which has identified a new group of regulatory mechanisms controlling CaMKII in brain, particularly at synapses.

Baldwin M.L., Rostas, J.A.P. and Sim A.T.R. (2003) Two modes of exocytosis from synaptosomes are differentially regulated by protein phosphatase types 2A and 2B. J Neurochem.  85, 1190-1199

This was the first demonstration that two major modes of neurotransmitter release were regulated by the activities of different enzymes that control the phosphorylation state of key proteins in nerve terminals.  This work has formed the basis for subsequent research to investigate different modes of exocytosis in other cell types including mast cells in relation to asthma (being performed by ATR Sim).

Lengyel, I., Fieuw-Makaroff, S., Hall, A., Sim, A.T.R., Rostas, J.A.P. and Dunkley, P.R. (2000) Modulation of the phosphorylation and activity of calcium/calmodulin-stimulated protein kinase II by zinc. J Neurochem   75, 594-605

The first detailed characterisation of new regulatory mechanisms initiated by Zn to control CaMKII in vitro.  This was the forerunner to our current work investigating new control mechanisms in vivo.

Xue, J, Wang, X, Malladi, C.S., Kinoshita, M., Milburn, P.J., Lengyel, I., Rostas, J.A.P. and Robinson, P.J. (2000) Phosphorylation of a new brain-specific septin, G-Septin, by cyclic-GMP dependent protein kinase. J Biol Chem   275, 10047-10056.

We had previously identified for the first time, a group of neuronal proteins whose phosphorylation was increased by NO.  This was the first paper to identify one of the proteins from this group and showed that it was concentrated in nerve terminals in the brain and phosphorylated by G kinase.

Esteem Factors

  • Invited to deliver plenary lectures and key note addresses at major international and national scientific conferences including: the inaugural Lawrie Austin Plenary Lecture at the Australian Neuroscience Society (Sydney, 2002) and the International Society for Neurochemistry (Innsbruck, 2005).  Internationally recognised as an expert on the function of the regulatory enzyme CaMKII and of the study of brain maturation using chickens as an experimental model.
  • Elected to the governing bodies of the peak international and national scientific societies in my field: 1998-present, Council of Asian Pacific Society for Neurochemistry; 1991-1995, Council of International Society for Neurochemistry; 1984-1995, Editor and member of Council Executive of Australian Neuroscience Society.
  • Appointed to major advisory committees in relation to research including: Project Grants Committee of NHMRC (Deputy Chair since 2003); NSW Government’s Ministerial Advisory Committee for Medical and Health Research (since 2001).
  • Appointed as the first Executive Director of the Hunter Medical Research Institute