Topic Overview:

The regulated assembly and organization of specific actin networks drive cell morphology, movement, and adhesion. Changes in cell behavior are required to form complex tissue structures during development and must be accompanied by transitions in actin organization. However, the molecular mechanisms governing actin network transitions are poorly understood.

Kwiatkowski has characterized how αE-catenin and its actin-binding domain (ABD) regulate the dynamics of filamentous actin and has demonstrated that the αE-catenin ABD binds cooperatively to individual actin filaments. This binding promotes a conformational change in the actin protomer that has a long-range influence on filament structure.

The goal of the Kwiatkowski lab is to understand how actin networks are assembled and organized to regulate cell morphology, movement, and adhesion during development. The team uses a combination of protein biochemistry, cell biology, high-resolution microscopy, and developmental biology to study actin dynamics at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels.