CRH/CS Cytoskeleton and Signalling

Lecturer: Georgios Komis
Lecture: 2 hours/week + seminar 1 hour/week
Credits: 3
Summer semester
Form of course completion: exam

Lectures

• Cytoskeleton – revision of the previous knowledge and their detailed enrichment.
• Signaling – revision of the previous knowledge and their detailed enrichment.
• Cytoskeletal components interaction.
• Microscopical methods used for cytoskeletal observation: BRET, FRET, FLIM-FRET, FRAP, TIRF, DIC, SIM scanning, BiFC. Biochemical analyses of cytoskeleton and signaling – protein-protein interaction, microtubular spin-down assay, kinase assays (radioactive, non-radioactive).
• Natural and synthetically prepared chemicals affecting the cytoskeleton and signaling pathways - usage in pharmacology.
• Guanozin triphosphate binding proteins (GTPases and G-proteins).
• Secondary messangers (lipids, ions, cyclic nukleotides and gases) in the relation to the cytoskeleton.
• Phosphorylation at the cytoskeletal level.
• Polarity – formation of polarized cytoskeletal structures, anchoring of the membrane organelles, intracellular transport, locomotion and tropisms, polarized distribution of regulatory molecules - asymmetric and symmetric accumulation.
• Cell division – centrosomal and acentrosomal cell division and regulation.
• Stress responses – cellular damages, reconstruction and abnormalities of the cytoskeleton in response to biotic and abiotic stresses, RhoGTPases and stress fibres.
• Morfogenesis – development of the shape.

Seminars

• Confocal microscopy of cytoskeletal components: microtubules and microfilaments tagged with GFP (or other fluorescent tags).
• Treatment of cytoskeleton with stabilizing and destabilizing drugs.
• Treatment with inhibitors of MAPKs.

The parallel seminar will be divided into 3 blocks. The seminars will be focused on the microscopy of cytoskeletal components and on the practical use of drugs affecting the cytoskeleton and signaling.