Award
National Institute of General Medical Sciences 5R35GM128786-09
Signal Integration from Membranes to the Actin Cytoskeleton
Recipient
UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Award Amount
$451,000.00
Ceiling
$451,000.00
Awarded
September 08, 2025
Identifier
5R35GM128786-09
Research project funded by NIGMS to study the regulation mechanisms of WASP-family proteins involved in actin cytoskeleton remodeling, aiming to understand disease mechanisms and develop therapies.
Description
The proposed research will determine the fundamental mechanisms of central actin regulators known as the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (WASP) family proteins, which will lay the foundation for understanding how actin remodeling is dysregulated in diseases and can be treated therapeutically. The research focuses on understanding regulation mechanisms of WASP-family proteins, investigating activation by GTPases Rac1 and Arf, exploring interactions with ligands, using advanced techniques such as protein engineering, biochemistry, mass spectrometry, fluorescence microscopy, and cryo-EM, and studying mutations and their effects on disease. The work aims to provide a comprehensive mechanistic framework for WASP family protein regulation, useful for understanding actin-related processes and developing therapeutic interventions.