RECONNOITERING WNTLESS IN THE WNT SECRETION PATHWAY

Abstract

THE WNT SIGNALLING PATHWAY IS CRITICAL TO GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND ITS DYSREGULATION IS IMPLICATED IN MYRIAD PATHOLOGIES. THE TRANSMEMBRANE PROTEIN WNTLESS (WLS) IS A KEY REGULATOR OF THE WNT SECRETION PATHWAY THAT TRANSPORTS WNTS TO THE PLASMA MEMBRANE.OUR LABORATORY HAS DEMONSTRATED THE ROLE OF VESICULAR ACIDIFICATION IN WNT SECRETION. MY RESEARCH IS FOCUSED ON INVESTIGATING THE REGULATORY MECHANISMS GOVERNING INTRACELLULAR WLS TRAFFICKING AND THE WNT-WLS INTERACTION. WE SEEK TO IDENTIFY NOVEL INTERACTORS AND CHARACTERIZE POST-TRANSLATIONAL MODIFICATIONS OF WLS THAT AFFECT ITS INTRACELLULAR TRAFFICKING. I HAVE IDENTIFIED KEY RESIDUES IN WLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY CONTRIBUTING TO ITS TRAFFICKING. FUTURE STUDIES WILL INCLUDE VALIDATING THESE WLS MUTANTS IN A WLS KNOCKOUT CELL LINE ENGINEERED VIA CRISPR/CAS9 GENOME EDITING TECHNOLOGY.