Cellular cytoskeletal motor proteins 2011

Molecular motor proteins and their associated microtubule and actin cytoskeletons organize cells and their contents in space and time. For example, they power mitosis and cell division, maintain and adjust cell structure by assembling and /or moving structural elements to specific cellular locations, propagate the trafficking of endocytic and exocytic vesicles, carry building blocks and signalling molecules, orchestrate different types of cell motility and power large scale movements of cells and tissues, as in muscle contraction and in specific stages of embryogenesis.

Topics

• Myosin, kinesin and dynein motor proteins
• Regulation of microtubule and actin based transport
• Motors and mitosis
• RNA and vesicle transport
• Linking motor properties to cellular function
• Cell migration
• Single molecule studies and imaging