Pilot Project 4 (2019)

Tools to investigate spatiotemporal kinase signaling in epithelial and neuronal polarity

The preliminary data our two groups (Krahn, Rumpf) allow to suggest that Par-1 activity is regulated spatially and temporally in a dynamic way.
The aim of this project is to establish tools which allow the investigation of a temporal and spatial activation of kinases, especially Par-1. The first of these tools will be a FRET (Fluoresence Resonance Energy Transfer) based biosensor that will allow us to visualize Par- 1 activity in vivo. Furthermore, we will be able to investigate required upstream factors for Par- 1 activation.

Thanks to the collaboration of or two working groups, it will be possible to examine Par-1 regulation during polarity establishment in epithelial and neuronal cells, as well as during dendrite pruning. This will be done both in mammalian cell lines and in Drosophila melanogaster.