Cell Surface Remodeling in Yeast and Human Disease

Jason MacGurn
Assistant Professor
Cell and Developmental Biology
4130-B MRBIII
615-343-4259 (office)
jason.a.macgurn@vanderbilt.edu

The main research objective of my lab is to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate the composition of proteins at the plasma membrane and to engineer new technologies for artificial remodeling of the cell surface.

Eukaryotic cells respond to environmental cues by remodeling the cell surface, a process that relies on the targeted removal and degradation of plasma membrane (PM) proteins. This turnover process begins when a transmembrane PM protein (or “cargo”) is ubiquitinated, a modification that is recognized by the endocytic machinery and sorted into vesicles. By targeting PM proteins for endocytosis, the cargoubiquitination machinery directly regulates signaling processes, ion and nutrient homeostasis, stress responses, and protein quality control at the PM. Given that these processes are critical for cell growth and differentiation, it is not surprising that many human disease states, including various cancers, are associated with defects in PM protein turnover.

For more information, please visit the lab website.