A study on the modulation of alpha-actinin and filamentous actin

Kemp, James Peter

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Description

Title

A study on the modulation of alpha-actinin and filamentous actin

Author(s)

Kemp, James Peter

Issue Date

2017-04-14

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Brieher, William M.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Brieher, William M.

Committee Member(s)

• Freeman, Brian C.
• Gillette, Martha U.
• Saif, Taher A.

Department of Study

Cell & Developmental Biology

Discipline

Cell and Developmental Biology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Stress fibers
• Alpha-actinin

Abstract

Cells use actin to provide structure and stability to the membrane, to drive motility, and to adhere to, pull on, and reorganize the extracellular matrix. Here I demonstrate that α-actinin-4, a well-known actin crosslinking protein and long believed to be the primary actin bundling protein for contractile actin arrays, actually inhibits bundling of actin filaments into stress fibers in epithelial cells. I show that α-actinin-4 accomplishes this by inhibiting tropomyosin dependent stabilization of filamentous actin, and maintains a dynamic basal actin array through promoting actin disassembly. Lastly I demonstrate that α-actinin-4 localization in cells can be modulated by phosphorylation of its actin-binding domain.

Graduation Semester

2017-05

Type of Resource

text

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Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2017 James Peter Kemp Jr

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