The role of the conserved Schizosaccharomyces pombe 1/3 inositol polyphosphate kinase Asp1 in polarized growth

调节细胞极性和形状的核心机制在进化上是保守的。决定细胞形状的极化细胞生长依赖于微管和肌动蛋白细胞骨架与细胞膜之间的局部串扰。我们的工作表明，肌动蛋白和微管调节因子Asp1是一个进化上保守的Vip1家族IP6激酶，连接着肌动蛋白和微管细胞骨架，对于裂殖酵母的正常极化生长是必不可少的。此外，我们最近发现Asp1是一种分子开关，可以从酵母形态转变为显示侵袭性、菌丝样生长的细胞。这是第一次对Vip1激酶家族成员的这种作用进行描述。这个项目的目的是了解Asp1和Asp1相互作用的蛋白质如何调节从酵母菌到菌丝样入侵形式的转换。

Core mechanisms that regulate the polarity of a cell and its shape are evolutionarily conserved. Polarized cell growth, which determines cell shape, depends on a localized crosstalk between the microtubule and actin cytoskeletons and the cell membrane. Our work shows that the actin and microtubule regulator Asp1, an evolutionarily conserved Vip1 family IP6 kinase, links the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons and is essential for proper polarized growth in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In addition, we have recently identified Asp1 as a molecular switch for the transition from a yeast form to cells that show invasive, hyphal-like growth. This is the first time that such a role has been described for a member of the Vip1 kinase family. The aim of this project is to understand how Asp1 and Asp1 interacting proteins regulate the switch from the yeast- to the hyphal-like invasive form.