Structure, function and regulation of toxin-induced microtubule-based cell protrusions (C01)

• Subject Area: Pharmacology
• Term: from 2015 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 246781735

A growing number of diseases are attributed to dysfunction of cilia (ciliopathies), which are microtubule (MT)-based cell protrusions. Actin-depolymerizing toxins (e.g. C. difficile toxin CDT) induce membrane protrusions, which will be used as a cilia model. The main goals of the project are a) the examination of the role and regulation of septins in formation and function of the MT-based cell protrusions, b) analysis of their content and c) characterization of traffick and signaling of the cilia-like structures. The investigations will offer new insights into formation, structure and function of the MT-based cell compartments and to a better understanding of ciliopathies.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1140: Kidney Disease - from Genes to Mechanisms (KIDGEM)
• Applicant Institution: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Klaus Aktories; Dr. Carsten Schwan