The role of protein DLC 2 and myosin VA the Hedgehog signaling dependent primary cilia

• Grant number: 16/05956-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2016
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Enilza Maria Espreafico
• Grantee: Talita Perez Sanches
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The primary cilia are structures found on nearly all cell types in vertebrates. Defects in this structure or function of the Hedgehog signaling pathway (Hh), dependent on the primary cilium can cause some diseases and syndromes, for ciliopatias named. It is known that several proteins are located in specific regions of the primary cilium and can modulate ciliogenesis, affecting their dynamics and function. One of the pathways involved in this process is the Hh pathway, important in embryonic development, modulating different tissues. The maintenance of the primary cilium is dependent transport of different proteins to this structure, which in turn is dependent intraflagelar machinery (IFT) and involves a variety of protein complexes that include many molecular motors such as kinesins, dineínas and myosins, plus of office of adapters. The DLC2 is involved in the transport of organelles, mitosis and migration and also in nuclear functions dependent on molecular motors. The project aims to evaluate the importance of myosin Va and DLC2 on the Hh pathway, in addition to research the function and location of these proteins in the structure of the primary cilium. The study will be approaches to gene expression by real time PCR and fluorescence microscopy techniques used to analyze the location and structure of the cilium culture of genetically modified tumor cells for the genes under study. Knowing that several proteins are located in specific regions in the primary cilium and can modulate ciliogenesis consequently changing its dynamics and function, clarify the location and function of new candidates that regulate ciliary homeostasis can bring us a new intervention approach dependent processes this organelle.