John O'Brien Lab

Vision research, electrical synapse, and vision restoration lab at the University of Houston.

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

We captured proteins associated with Cx36 in mouse retina and with Cx35.1 in zebrafish retina to reveal an evolutionarily conserved core molecular machinery of electrical synapses. We identified a number of novel proteins and map the full life cycle of the connexins.

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

The final version of our electrical synapse proteome paper is out in @eLife: Uncovering the electrical synapse proteome in retinal neurons via in vivo proximity labeling https://t.co/1ltW1RRTnM

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

This protocol paper is a nice companion to Stephan's whorl paper last fall in JBC. It's hard not to admire the beauty that comes from an intracellular trafficking defect.

[Bio-protocol @bioprotocolbyte]

Characterizing ER Retention Defects of PDZ Binding Deficient Cx36 Mutants Using Confocal Microscopy: https://t.co/blYr5qe6ez

Work by Stephan Tetenborg, Elizabeth Martinez-Soler, and @OBrien_lab at @UHouston.

#reproducibility #lifesciences #cellbiology

[IGJC2024 @igjc2024]

Thank you Dr Stephan Tetenborg, great talk!
"Trafficking of Connexin36 (Cx36) in the early secretory pathway"

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Honestly, isn’t this getting a little out of hand?

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

@BWJones Yep. University of Houston had to eliminate all DEI programs by 2024 to comply with a new Texas law. These laws provide an excellent reason for people to turn down job offers at our institutions.

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

@PopStarLab @BiophysicalSoc @Jacobs_Med_UB Congratulations!

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Congratulations @EShihabeddin from @NeuroMDAUTH on his really cool new paper on methods to knock down genes in #zebrafish retina using strategies accessible to all. Thanks @NatEyeInstitute for F31 support.
https://t.co/LkZC3aEv7D

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Stephan Tetenborg brings us a beautiful paper about how miss-trafficked #connexin 36 docks in the ER. Lovely CLEM and SBF by Viktoria Liss and Leo Breitsprecher and collab with @RZoidl. Check it out! https://t.co/rNMMbvdssE

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Chris's paper makes use of a GCaMP-tagged Cx36 transgenic mouse that we developed. It expresses Cx36-GCaMP at electrical synapses in the retina, brain, and even the pancreas.

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

See Chris Lee’s new paper examining calcium microdomains at #connexin 36 electrical synapses in the #retina. https://t.co/RBp85Zl2Rn

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Calcium regulates bidirectional plasticity of electrical synapses. Chris shows us that most electrical synapses experience transient calcium increases when puffed with glutamate, showing widespread potential for plasticity.

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

A little eclipse action in Houston, TX

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Experience New Orleans at #ARVO2023. You will know who has by the powdered sugar on their pants.

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Congratulations @LisaOstrin for winning the Michael Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision Research. #ARVO2023

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

When the OBrien lab leadership goes on vacation and doesn’t answer email, we REALLY go on vacation. I FOUND this tooth. What a thrill!

[The Houston Museum of Natural Science ❤️🦖🧠🌌 @hmns]

Big, beautiful Allosaurus tooth found by a member of our Dino Dig 2022 crew. An amazing find 🦖🎉

#dinosaur #dinosaurs

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Zebrafish postdoc in the O'Brien Lab! Apply here or contact me directly:
https://t.co/uTQEoLkmWp

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Woohoo! Congratulations @OBrien_lab grad student @EShihabeddin for a great score on your F31 application:
Impact score: 20
Percentile: 5.0
Great job!

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

@thehungrybrain Definitely mosquitos. Some small fish in your pond will take care of them. Zebrafish work great, but will die in the winter and are non-native. Better to find some local, native minnow/mosquitofish.

[John O'Brien Lab @OBrien_lab]

Total lunar eclipse 05/15/22 from Houston, TX.