Control of actin remodeling by filamin A and cyclin B1/cdk1

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Actin fibers hold normal cells together in much the same way that wooden joists and beams hold a residential house together. When cells grow and move, they must quickly change their actin structures, a process aptly described as remodeling. We are studying two proteins that control this remodeling, cyclin B1 and Filamin A (FLNa). Cyclin B1 controls cell division. FLNa is important to a cell because it controls the assembly of actin fibers. Using the house construction analogy, FLNa proteins are the cellular nails and screws that attach actin fibers to each other and other parts of the cells. We believe that cyclin B1 and FLNa co-operate to control actin structures and are thus likely to have important roles in controlling cell shape and rigidity. Understanding the molecular mechanism by which cyclin B1 and FLNA control of actin structures is the overall goal of this grant. We believe that understanding this process will aid in our ability to characterize and ultimately engineer cellular mechanical structures.