The research group “Cytoskeleton Dynamics“ studies the molecular mechanisms driving reorganisation of the actin cytoskeleton. The actin cytoskeleton is crucial to the maintenance of cell shape and provides mechanical support. In addition, actin filament turnover allows rapid shape change at the cell periphery and drives motility processes in the cell cytoplasm. Actin assembly and disassembly are tightly regulated at the plasma membrane.
De-novo formation of actin filaments, known as ‚nucleation’ is achieved through the catalytic activity of different molecular machines such as Arp2/3-complex, the molecular regulation of which is still intensely investigated. Researchers in the group are interested to unravel the relevance and precise mode of action of activators of the Arp2/3-complex, for instance the ubiquitously expressed N-WASP protein. N-WASP is the neuronally enriched variant of the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein (WASP), mutation of which causes a X-linked immunodeficiency in humans. WASP, which is app. 50% identical in sequence to N-WASP is also capable of Arp2/3-complex activation and involved in motility processes in immune cells.
Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is also important for vesicle trafficking and endocytosis, the latter of which drives the internalisation of small particles through plasma membrane invagination and scission. Both processes may also be aided by the dynamic assembly (and disassembly) of actin filaments. How actin filaments contribute to the internalisation of small as well as larger particles such as pathogenic bacteria is actively investigated in the research group “Cytoskeleton Dynamics”.
