Ph.D., Brown University

Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a Ca2+ and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase that is a vital component in various signaling pathways that govern proliferation, differentiation, and cell movement. In malignant cells, PKC promotes unregulated cellular growth and metastasis, as evidenced by 1) its role as the cellular receptor for tumor promoters, 2) its elevated levels of expression in certain tumors, and 3) disturbances in proliferation, migration, and reduction-oxidation processes of cells genetically engineered to overproduce PKC. - See more at: http://www.gc.cuny.edu/Page-Elements/Academics-Research-Centers-Initiatives/Doctoral-Programs/Chemistry/Faculty-Bios/Susan-A-Rotenberg#sthash.BJF8Z75k.dpuf

X. Chen, X. Zhao, T.P. Abeyweera, and S.A. Rotenberg. “Analysis of substrates of protein kinase C isoforms in human breast cells by the traceable kinase method.” Biochemistry, 2012 (in press).

K.M. Smith, A. Datti, M. Fujitani, N. Grinshtein, L. Zhang, O. Morozova, K. Blakely, S.A. Rotenberg, L.M. Hansford,F.D. Miller, H. Yeger, M. S. Irwin, J. Moffit, M. Marra, S. Baruchel, J.L. Wrana, and D.R. Kaplan."Selective targeting of neuroblastoma tumor-initiating cells by compounds identified in a stem cell-based smallmolecule screen." EMBO Mol. Med. 2: 371-384, 2010.

X. Chen and S.A. Rotenberg. “Phospho-MARCKS drives motility of mouse melanoma cells.” Cell. Signal. 22: 1097-1103, 2010.

T.P. Abeyweera, X. Chen, and S.A. Rotenberg. “Phosphorylation of a6-tubulin by protein kinase Ca activates motility of human breast cells.” J. Biol. Chem. 284: 17648-17656, 2009. [Recommended by Faculty of 1000 Biology, Sept. 2009]

J.-P. Truman, S.A. Rotenberg, J.-H. Kang, G. Lerman, Z. Fuks, R. Kolesnick, V.E. Marquez, and A. Haimovitz-Friedman.“PKCalpha activation down-regulates ATM and radio-sensitizes androgen-sensitive human prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.” Cancer Biol. & Ther. 8: 54-63, 2009.

D. Duan, D.M. Sigano, J.A. Kelley, C. Lai, N.E. Lewin, N. Kedei, M.L. Peach, J. Lee, T.P. Abeyweera, S.A. Rotenberg,H. Kim, Y.H. Kim, S. El-Kazzouli, J.-U. Chung, H.A. Young, M.R. Young, A. Baker, N.H. Colburn, A. Haimovitz-Friedman,J.P. Truman, D.A. Parrish, J.R. Deschamps, N.A. Perry, R.J. Surawski, P.M. Blumberg, and V.E. Marquez.“Conformationally constrained analogues of diacylglycerol. 29. Cells sort diacylglycerol-lactone chemical zip codes to produce diverse and selective biological activities.” J. Med. Chem. 51: 5198-5220, 2008.

P. Sun, F.O. Laforge, T.P. Abeyweera, S.A. Rotenberg, J. Carpino, and M.V. Mirkin. “Nano-electrochemistry of mammalian cells.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 105: 443-448, 2008.

F.O. LaForge, J. Carpino, S.A. Rotenberg, and M.V. Mirkin “Electrochemical attosyringe." Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.104:11895-11900, 2007.

T.P. Abeyweera and S.A. Rotenberg. “Design and characterization of a traceable protein kinase C-a.”Biochemistry 46: 2364-2370, 2007.

C. Abeywickrama, S.A. Rotenberg, and A.D. Baker “Inhibition of protein kinase C by dequalinium analogues: structure-activitystudies on head group variations.” Bioorg. Med. Chem. 14: 7796–7803, 2006.

S.A. Rotenberg and M.V Mirkin. “Scanning electrochemical microscopy of human breast cells.” J. Mamm. Gland Biol. Neoplasia 9: 375-382, 2004.

C. Kerfoot, W. Huang, and S.A. Rotenberg. “Immunohistochemical analysis of advanced human breast carcinomas reveals down-regulation of protein kinase Ca.” J. Histochem. Cytochem. 52: 419-422, 2004.

W. Feng, S.A. Rotenberg, and M.V. Mirkin. “Scanning electrochemical microscopy of living cells. 5. Imaging of fields of normal and metastatic breast cells.” Anal. Chem. 75: 4148-4154, 2003.

B. Liu, S.A. Rotenberg, and M.V. Mirkin. “Scanning electrochemical microscopy of living cells. 4. Mechanistic study of charge transfer reactions in breast cells.” Anal. Chem. 74: 6340-6348, 2002.

M.V. Mirkin, B. Liu, and S.A. Rotenberg. “Probing redox activity of human breast cells by scanning electrochemical microscopy.” Meth. Enzymol. 352: 112-122, 2002.