The molecular basis for polarity formation and motility of chemotactic cells

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24570224
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cell biology
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: KAMIMURA Yoichiro 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 生命システム研究センター, 上級研究員 (20321599)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 走化性 / 細胞極性 / 細胞運動 / 低分子量Gタンパク質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chemotaxis is directional motility along chemical gradients and observed in many biological situations, such as neutrophil migration to the infected site. Chemotactic cells have a typical polarized morphology with the distinct front and back, which is required for efficient motility. In this study, we found that the small GTPase-mediated TorC2-PDK-PKB (TPP) module is activated independently of external signals, known as self-organization ability important for cellular motility in chemotaxis. Also, its underling molecular dynamics on the plasma membrane were analyzed.

Free Research Field

生物学