Elizabeth Rhoades: Phosphorylation of tau: untangling function from disease

Elizabeth Rhoades 

University of Pennsylvania, Department of Chemistry

Title:

Phosphorylation of tau:  untangling function from disease

Abstract:

Tau is an intrinsically disordered neuronal protein which is thought to have a role in stabilizing axonal microtubules. We are interested in understanding the Tau’s functional mechanisms as relevant to the unique properties of axonal microtubules. We have identified Tau’s proline rich region as a primary binding site for tubulin. Using a combination of single molecule fluorescence and other biophysical approaches, we provide a model which contrasts binding properties of the proline rich region and the microtubule binding region. Moreover, we characterize how post-translational modifications to the proline rich region alter its function.  

Host:
Melissa Birol