Curtis William Boswell, PhD
Associate Research Scientist in GeneticsAbout
Research
Publications
2025
In vivo differentiation of embryonic cells devoid of key reprogramming factors
Youlten S, Miao L, Hoppe C, Boswell C, Musaev D, Abdelmessih M, Olowookere D, Weiss L, Krishnaswamy S, Giraldez A, Tornini V. In vivo differentiation of embryonic cells devoid of key reprogramming factors. Cell Reports 2025, 44: 116498. PMID: 41171758, PMCID: PMC12841453, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116498.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDevelopmental reprogrammingSingle-cell RNA-seqEmbryonic cell differentiationIn vivo differentiationWild-type embryosLineage-specific differentiation programsGene expression profilesDifferentiation of embryonic cellsIntermediate developmental stateMutant cellsRNA-seqSperm nucleiPremature activationTranscriptional statesGenome activationGerm cellsCell deathTotipotent stateDevelopmental programDifferentiation programExpression profilesCell differentiationEmbryonic cellsState in vivoReprogrammingGenetically encoded affinity reagents are a toolkit for visualizing and manipulating endogenous protein function in vivo
Boswell C, Hoppe C, Sherrard A, Miao L, Kojima M, Martino P, Zhao N, Stasevich T, Nicoli S, Giraldez A. Genetically encoded affinity reagents are a toolkit for visualizing and manipulating endogenous protein function in vivo. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 5503. PMID: 40595661, PMCID: PMC12216260, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61003-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFunction in vivoAffinity reagentsPlanar cell polarity protein Vangl2Gene targetingEndogenous protein localizationProtein function in vivoProtein targets in vivoModel organism communitiesKnock-in alleleConventional gene targetingProtein functionSingle chain variable fragmentTranscription factor NanogProtein localizationTargets in vivoZebrafish developmentVariable fragmentAllelesNative behaviorFluorescence visualizationOrganic communityVangl2AffinityGenesZebrafish
2023
Apollo-NADP+ reveals in vivo adaptation of NADPH/NADP+ metabolism in electrically activated pancreatic β cells
Bui C, Boswell C, Ciruna B, Rocheleau J. Apollo-NADP+ reveals in vivo adaptation of NADPH/NADP+ metabolism in electrically activated pancreatic β cells. Science Advances 2023, 9: eadi8317. PMID: 37792934, PMCID: PMC10550227, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi8317.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChromatin expansion microscopy reveals nanoscale organization of transcription and chromatin
Pownall M, Miao L, Vejnar C, M'Saad O, Sherrard A, Frederick M, Benitez M, Boswell C, Zaret K, Bewersdorf J, Giraldez A. Chromatin expansion microscopy reveals nanoscale organization of transcription and chromatin. Science 2023, 381: 92-100. PMID: 37410825, PMCID: PMC10372697, DOI: 10.1126/science.ade5308.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsZygotic genome activationTranscriptional elongationExpansion microscopyRNA polymerase IIChromatin regulatory factorsEnhancer-promoter contactsGenome activationChromatin organizationNuclear organizationPolymerase IIPol IIFactor NanogTranscription factorsGene expressionRegulatory factorsChromatinNanoscale organizationNanogTranscriptionElongationNucleosomesUniversal processPromoterEmbryosEnhancer
2022
Live imaging and conditional disruption of native PCP activity using endogenously tagged zebrafish sfGFP-Vangl2
Jussila M, Boswell C, Griffiths N, Pumputis P, Ciruna B. Live imaging and conditional disruption of native PCP activity using endogenously tagged zebrafish sfGFP-Vangl2. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 5598. PMID: 36151137, PMCID: PMC9508082, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33322-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPlanar cell polarityVertebrate planar cell polarityTissue-specific functionsNon-canonical Wnt/planar cell polarityWnt/planar cell polarityCore PCP componentsLoss of vangl2Polarity proteinsCell polarityPCP componentsMembrane localizationCytoskeletal organizationGenome editingPowerful experimental paradigmCRISPR/Live imagingDynamic regulationCell lineagesAuthentic regulationPCP activityVangl2Fluorescent reportersEpendymal cell ciliaCell behaviorNormal development
2020
The NEMP family supports metazoan fertility and nuclear envelope stiffness
Tsatskis Y, Rosenfeld R, Pearson J, Boswell C, Qu Y, Kim K, Fabian L, Mohammad A, Wang X, Robson M, Krchma K, Wu J, Gonçalves J, Hodzic D, Wu S, Potter D, Pelletier L, Dunham W, Gingras A, Sun Y, Meng J, Godt D, Schedl T, Ciruna B, Choi K, Perry J, Bremner R, Schirmer E, Brill J, Jurisicova A, McNeill H. The NEMP family supports metazoan fertility and nuclear envelope stiffness. Science Advances 2020, 6: eabb4591. PMID: 32923640, PMCID: PMC7455189, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb4591.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSingle nucleotide polymorphismsNuclear envelopeHuman genome-wide association studiesGenome-wide association studiesGerm lineAssociation studiesGenetic studiesProteinCaenorhabditisNemp1ZebrafishFertilityHomologSterilityRoleBiochemicalPolymorphismEnvelopeFamilyComplexesMechanical stiffnessEarly lossLoss
2018
Neuroinflammatory signals drive spinal curve formation in zebrafish models of idiopathic scoliosis
Van Gennip JLM, Boswell CW, Ciruna B. Neuroinflammatory signals drive spinal curve formation in zebrafish models of idiopathic scoliosis. Science Advances 2018, 4: eaav1781. PMID: 30547092, PMCID: PMC6291318, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav1781.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsScoliosis phenotypeMutant zebrafishNext-generation sequencingZebrafish modelGenetic methodologiesGenetic studiesCilia motilityProinflammatory signalsBiological originIntriguing evidenceZebrafishMutantsNeuroinflammatory signalsSequencingPhenotypeMotilityPhysiological abnormalitiesActivationFormationInductionDefectsMutations in Kinesin family member 6 reveal specific role in ependymal cell ciliogenesis and human neurological development
Konjikusic MJ, Yeetong P, Boswell CW, Lee C, Roberson EC, Ittiwut R, Suphapeetiporn K, Ciruna B, Gurnett CA, Wallingford JB, Shotelersuk V, Gray RS. Mutations in Kinesin family member 6 reveal specific role in ependymal cell ciliogenesis and human neurological development. PLOS Genetics 2018, 14: e1007817. PMID: 30475797, PMCID: PMC6307780, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007817.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SequenceAnimalsAnimals, Genetically ModifiedBase SequenceChildCiliaConsanguinityEpendymaFemaleGene ExpressionHomozygoteHumansHydrocephalusIntellectual DisabilityKinesinsMaleMiceMice, TransgenicModels, AnimalMutationNeurodevelopmental DisordersPedigreeSequence DeletionTissue DistributionXenopus laevisZebrafishConceptsVentricular systemMulti-ciliated cellsNeurological developmentEpendymal cellsHuman neurological developmentKinesin family member 6C-terminal truncating mutationsMember 6 geneEpendymal cell ciliaTransgenic mouse strainCerebrospinal fluid flowMutant mice displayFamily member 6Homozygous null mutationMice displaySpecific roleMutant miceMouse strainsNeurodevelopmental defectsTruncating mutationsMember 6Multiciliated tissuesIntellectual disabilityBase pair deletionMice
2017
Understanding Idiopathic Scoliosis: A New Zebrafish School of Thought
Boswell CW, Ciruna B. Understanding Idiopathic Scoliosis: A New Zebrafish School of Thought. Trends In Genetics 2017, 33: 183-196. PMID: 28174019, DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2017.01.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsUtility of zebrafishNormal spine morphogenesisGenetic resourcesPhysiological defectsSpine morphogenesisPowerful systemGenetic heterogeneityZebrafishBiological modelsNatural susceptibilityCore mechanismRecent advancesMorphogenesisMutantsHistorical lackPathogenesisDevelopmental modelPathogenesis of IS
2016
Zebrafish models of idiopathic scoliosis link cerebrospinal fluid flow defects to spine curvature
Grimes DT, Boswell CW, Morante NF, Henkelman RM, Burdine RD, Ciruna B. Zebrafish models of idiopathic scoliosis link cerebrospinal fluid flow defects to spine curvature. Science 2016, 352: 1341-1344. PMID: 27284198, PMCID: PMC5574193, DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf6419.Peer-Reviewed Original Research