Check out Laura McCormick’s first author work now on BioRxiv, in collaboration with Nick Brown and Dave Kovar.  We identified 2 ubiquitination sites on VASP (K240 and K286) and created purified, ubiquitinated VASP mimics. Using several in vitro biochemical assays, we showed multi-monoubiquitination (mmUb) reduces the ability of VASP to bind, bundle, and elongate actin filaments. We also electroporated our purified protein into MEFs. Compared to unmodified protein, the presence of multi-monoubiquitinated VASP altered cell spreading morphology and showed diminished localization to lamellipodia/filopodia. Collectively, our results show how multi-monoubiquitination negatively regulates VASP activity and influences actin dynamics in cells.

Two new BBSP students are joining the lab and the Cell Biology and Physiology Curriculum. Welcome to Anca Frasineanu and Sam Ryken!

Stephanie, Laura, Sampada, Chris, and Kimberly all attended the CellBio22 Meeting by ASCB/EMBO, with posters, sessions, and so much great science. It was great to be in person again!