Title: Regulation of Myosin Motors - from Single Molecules to Functional Ensembles
Abstract: Many types of cellular motility are based on the myosin family of motor proteins. There are now known to be at least 35 different classes of myosin, involved in intracellular transport processes, cytokinesis, muscle contraction, exo- and endocytosis or signal transduction in vision and hearing. The ability to coordinate the timing of motor protein activation lies at the very centre of this wide range of cellular motile processes. Using a combined approach of recombinant protein expression, single molecule mechanical and fluorescence imaging techniques, and cargo binding assays we study the basic mechanisms of activation, force production and movement of these molecular machines at the single molecule and ensemble level. We will report on our recent studies on myosins forming acto-myosin lattice structures and myosins forming functional ensembles interacting with lipids enabling them to transport cargo over micrometer distances along the actin cytoskeleton in the cell. Supported by DFG SFB 863 B6 and Baur Stiftung.