Global approaches to study actin filament regulation in the muscle sarcomere

Consortium leader:  JARI YLÄNNE
Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä

Other project leaders of the consortium: 
Olli Carpén, Department of Pathology and Neuroscience Program, University of Helsinki
Pekka Lappalainen, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki

Doctoral students of the consortium: 
Sandra Falck, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki
Ville Paavilainen, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki
Pieta Mattila, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki
Elisa Sarkkinen Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki
Enni Bertling, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki
Tuula Klaavuniemi, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oulu
Regina Pudas , Department of Biochemistry, University of Oulu
Borys Bondar, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oulu
Pernilla Storbjörk, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki
Monica Moza, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki
Mikko Rönty, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki

Other researchers of the consortium: 
Tiila Kiema, Ph. D., Department of Biochemistry, University of Oulu,
Pirta Hotulainen Ph. D, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki

Key words:  cytoskeleton, bioinformatics, genomics, zebrafish, structural biology

Project desciption and main results:
The exponential increase in the genome sequence data of different species, new bioinformatics tools and new technologies such as double stranded RNA interference are now opening new opportunities to study complex biological systems such as the sarcomere assembly and maintenance in a systematic way. We propose to use bioinformatics, proteomics, zebrafish as a model systems as well as structural biology to identify the missing components of the sarcomere and to study the interactions and functions of these novel proteins or protein isoforms. In order to understand the mechanisms of the complex protein network, we will attempt to reconstitute sub-assemblies of sarcomeric components in test tube .

This application is an attempt to unite forces of three groups working on different but complementary aspects of cytoskeletal protein research. We feel that our joint methodological expertise and resources with new techniques in bioinformatics, functional genomics, proteomics and structural biology is hichly beneficial when tackling with complex model systems. Without collaborations and funding from the SYSBIO programme the individual groups would not be able to expand their interests to efforts of this scale. Formation of the research consortium will also have a major positive impact on the training of researchers involved in the project.

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