Project title: Analysis of a Novel Actin Nucleating Machinery regulating Membrane trafficking

Project supervisors: Prof Kathryn Ayscough (BMS and CMIAD) and Prof Mike Williamson (MBB)

Application deadline: Friday 14 December 2012.

Project description:

Actin is a major driving force for movements within cells. Mutations in actin, or in the many proteins that bind to actin and regulate its function are responsible for many diseases including Wiskott Aldrich syndrome, myopathies and fronto-temporal dementia. In addition, changes in actin organisation are necessary  are critical for driving the morphological changes that take place during cancer metastasis. Actin nucleation is the key rate limiting step in actin polymerization, and tight regulation of this process is critical to ensure actin filaments form only at specific regions of the cell. We have recently identified a novel, proline dependent actin-binding activity. This project aims to address several fundamental questions to gain insights into the mechanism of proline interaction with actin, and to determine how the interaction regulates actin organization within cells.

References:

• Aghamohammadzadeh, S. and Ayscough K.R (2010). The Yeast Actin
  Cytoskeleton and its Function in Endocytosis.
  Fungal Biology Reviews. 24: 37-46.
• Aghamohammadzadeh, S. and Ayscough K.R (2009)
  Differential Requirements for Actin during Yeast and Mammalian Endocytosis.
  Nature Cell Biol. 11. 1039-1042.

Contact details:

Professor Kathryn Ayscough

Email: k.ayscough@sheffield.ac.uk

Web: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/bms/research/ayscough