Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Anatomy

Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, & Anatomy
2.104C Medical Research Building (MRB)
Route: 1069 | Tel: (409) 772-5480 | Fax: (409) 772-3222 | jnavarro@utmb.edu

Education and Training

PhD in Physiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA MS in Pharmacology, Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Shrewsbury, MA and Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru Post-Doctoral in Biochemistry, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY BS in Biology, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru

Research Interests

Our work focuses on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of G protein-coupled receptors. These are seven-helix transmembrane receptors acting as detectors of signals including odor, light, hormones, neurotransmitters, and as mediators for the entry of HIV-1. Genes encoding these receptors occupy a hefty 3% of the human genome. Of importance is that these receptors are the target of about 60% of drugs used to treat human diseases. In my laboratory we are applying X-ray crystallography to elucidate the atomic structure of seven-helix transmembrane receptors. Genetic and biophysical approaches are also applied to determine the role of specific domains on the function of these receptors. We are also investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the chemokines-regulated the inflammation-neurogenesis coupling.

Selected Publications

Prado, G.N., Suetomi, K., Shumate, D., Maxwell, C., Ravindran, A., Rajarathnam, K., and Navarro J. Chemokine Signaling Specificity: Essential Role for the N-Terminal Domain of Chemokine Receptors. Biochemistry 46:8961-8968, 2007

Fuentes, L.Q., Reyes, C.E., Sarmiento, J.M., Villanueva, C.I., Figueroa, C.D., Javier Navarro, J., Gonzalez, C.B. Vasopressin up-regulates the expression of growth-related immediate-early genes via two distinct EGF receptor transactivation pathways. Cellular Signaling 20(9):1642-50, 2008

Sarmiento, J., Kypreos, K.E., Prado, G.N., Suetomi, K., Stanzel, C., Maxwell, C., Shumate, D., Tandang-Silvas, M.R., Rajarathnam, K. and Navarro J. Adenovirus mediated expression "in vivo" of the chemokine receptor CXCR1. J. Struct. Funct. Genomics 10(1):17-23, 2009

Joseph, P.R., Sarmiento, J.M., Mishra, A.K., Das, S.T., Garofalo, R.P., Navarro J. and Rajarathnam, K. Probing the role of CXC motif in chemokine CXCL8 for high affinity binding and activation of CXCR1. J. Biol. Chem. 17;285(38):29262-9, 2010.

Sarmiento, J., Shumate, C., Suetomi, K., Ravindran, A., Villegas, L., Rajarathnam, K., Navarro J. Diverging mechanisms of activation of chemokine receptors revealed by novel chemokine agonists. PLoS One 6(12):e27967, 2011.

Ravindran, A., Sawant, K.V., Sarmiento, J., Navarro J and Rajarathnam K. Chemokine CXCL1 dimer is a potent agonist for the CXCR2 receptor. J. Biol. Chem. 288(17):12244-52, 2013.

Link to PubMed Publications