Cambridge Institute for Medical Research

Dr Folma Buss

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Myosin Motor Proteins in Health and Disease

We want to understand how molecular motor proteins function in intracellular transport processes and how defects in these molecular machines are linked to human diseases. Our primary interests are the actin-based myosin motors and their roles in cargo transport, cell signalling and membrane dynamics.
 
The main focus of our current research is myosin VI, which is unique because it moves in the opposite direction along actin filaments to all the other myosins. Myosin VI is an extremely versatile motor that functions in membrane trafficking pathways associated with secretion and endocytosis and is thereby linked to cell migration and cytokinesis. We have shown that these diverse roles of myosin VI are mediated by its interaction with a wide range of distinct binding partners (adaptors) that connect it to different cargoes.

Overexpression or mutations or the absence of myosin VI have been linked to such diverse pathological processes as deafness, cardiomyopathy, neurodegeneration and cancer. We are currently unravelling the novel function(s) of the myosins and their cargo adaptors in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and motor neuron disease. In addition we are investigating the molecular role of myosin VI in cardiomyocytes and heart disease.

The human genome contains 40 distinct myosins and therefore we are expanding our studies to investigate the complementary roles of these different myosins in membrane trafficking pathways. For example we are currently focusing on the role of class I myosins in endocytic membrane recycling.

Our long-term goal is to establish how the different actin- and microtubule-based motor proteins interact together and how their actions are coordinated and regulated to maintain the health and functions of cells.

Funding

Wellcome Trust
National Institutes of Health (USA)
CHDI Foundation (USA)

Group Members