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Talk by Maria Florencia Sánchez

Title: "Decoding receptor signaling by ligand-free in situ confinement"
Occasion: SFB - Seminar
Start: 30.01.2024 - 16:15
Location: CellNanOs, 38/201

About the speaker: Dr. Maria Florencia Sánchez conducts research at the Institure of Biochemistry of the Goethe-University Frankfurt.

Abstract of the talk: Cell-cell communication and signal transduction rely on the assembly of receptor-ligand complexes at the plasma membrane. The spatiotemporal receptor organization plays a pivotal role in evoking cellular responses. Nevertheless, the mechanism for cluster formation and how its localization within the plasma membrane influence cell responses is not fully understood. Thus, tools which allow to control receptor networks with high spatiotemporal control are required. Here, we controlled neuropeptide Y2 hormone receptor (Y2R) clustering in situ either via a chelator nanotool or via an ultrasmall photo-tool. Fast Y2R enrichment in clustered areas triggered ligand-independent downstream signaling determined by an increase in cytosolic calcium, cell spreading, and migration; signaling events which are analogous to the ones induced by the natural ligand. This approach can be adapted to diverse receptor families and raises the possibility to explore different modalities of receptor activation.