Francesca Bartolini\, PhD
Associate Professor of Pathology
and Cell Biology
Columbia University
The Bartolini Lab investigates the role of microtubule dynamics and tubuli n post-translational modifications in neuronal physiology and at the onset of neurodegenerative and neuropathic disease.
Neurons possess extensi ve tubulin post-translational modifications (PTMs) that are associated with microtubule (MT) longevity\, and analyses of mammalian brain and cultured neurons demonstrate enrichment of detyrosinated\, acetylated\, poly-glutamy lated and D2-tubulin subunits. These tubulin PTMs are implicated in the reg ulation of MT associated proteins (known as MAPs)\, MT severing enzymes\, a nd binding to motors.
Synaptic activation also locally regulates tubu lin PTMs associated with MT stability. In addition to stable MTs\, emerging studies indicate that dynamic MTs\, typically deprived of tubulin PTMs\, p lay key roles in neuronal function. Dynamic MTs polymerize from dendritic s hafts into spines\, and signaling through neurotransmitter receptors and lo cal calcium entry regulate this process. Invasion of dendritic spines by dy namic MTs can in return affect spine morphology and function by regulating myosin- and kinesin-paired cargo dynamics. Furthermore\, presynaptic dynami c MTs are necessary for the delivery of synaptic vesicles to their appropri ate sites\, and may mediate storage and/or docking /fusion of vesicles at t he active zone.
CATEGORIES:Seminar Series LOCATION:Neuroscience Research Building Auditorium GEO:38.635602;-90.254892 ORGANIZER;CN="Shea":MAILTO:shea.stewart@wustl.edu URL;VALUE=URI:https://neuroscience.wustl.edu/events/event/department-of-neu roscience-seminar-francesca-bartolini/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 DTSTART:20260308T080000 TZNAME:CDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR