Meeting Abstract
Actin dynamics play vital role in regulating the trafficking of receptor proteins, which ultimately impacts the way cells signal. We study signal processing in embryos of the invertebrate chordate, Ciona robusta. In Ciona, asymmetrically dividing heart founder cells undergo differential induction to produce heart progenitor and tail muscle lineages. Previous research has shown that Arp2/3 activity, which nucleates branched actin, is required to localize induction in the Ciona founder cells. We are investigating the role of branched actin dynamics on the localization of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors, upstream of induction. ARP2/3 inhibitor studies indicate that actin dynamics are required to suppress degradation and regulate polarized trafficking of fluorescently tagged FGFR. We are currently examining whether myosin motors contribute to these actin-dependent steps in FGFR trafficking. Our findings suggest that mutations impacting actin dynamics may drive changes in membrane trafficking and cell signaling associated with oncogenesis.
