The goal of the Tyska laboratory is to understand the biological roles of myosins; molecular machines that transduce energy derived from ATP hydrolysis into force and motion directed along actin filaments. Humans express ~40 different myosin genes and though many of these remain largely uncharacterized, numerous studies suggest that various myosins, in conjunction with the actin cytoskeleton, play critical roles in basic developmental processes such as differentiation (e.g. cell polarity establishment/maintenance) and morphogenesis.  The laboratory's studies are currently focusing on myosin-1a, a major component of the enterocyte brush border that may serve to maintain polarity by tethering apical components in the brush border domain. The Tyska laboratory is applying a novel combination of cell biological and biophysical approaches in an effort to develop our understanding of the molecular mechanisms which govern myosin-1a function.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Myosin-1a powers the sliding of apical membrane along microvillar actin bundles.  2007 Journal of Cell Biology 177:671-681

Myosin at work: motor adaptations for a variety of cellular functions.  2007 Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Cell Research 1773:615-630

PREVIOUS PUBLICATIONS