Wendy Gordon (University of Minnesota): Breaking the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex and mechanotransduction

Speaker: Wendy Gordon, University of Minnesota

Host: Arpita Upadhyaya

Abstract: Mechanical forces regulate critical cell dynamics, and are often dysregulated in disease. Molecular tension sensors have emerged to measure picoNewton forces sensed by individual mechanosensing protein in the context of the cell. We will describe a genetically-encoded molecular tension sensor based on bioluminescence that we used to probe how muscular dystrophy associated mutations alter cellular tensions in myoblasts. We will also describe a new high- throughput DNA-based tension sensor that can be used to readout cumulative cellular tensions using flow cytometry and DNA sequencing.

Seminars start at 4:00 pm, and refreshments will be served at 3:45 pm. All seminars are held in the Conference Room (1116) of the Institute for Physical Science and Technology (IPST) Building unless otherwise noted.