Centrosomes and vesicles in genetic diseases

• Speaker: Lattao Ramona
  San Raffaele Hospital , Milan
• Title: Centrosomes and vesicles in genetic diseases
• Researcher Host: Anna Moles

Abstract:

Centrosomes are composed of a pair of barrel shaped structures called centrioles surrounded by an amorphous and dynamic PeriCentriolar Material (PCM). The main role of the centrosomes is to nucleate microtubules (MTs) and to organize the cytoskeleton. When cells exit the cell cycle, one of the two centrioles moves to the cell membrane where it forms the primary cilium, a signalling antenna protruding from the cell surface. Each cell contains only one centrosome that duplicates during S phase of the cell cycle and, during mitosis, the two duplicated centrosomes organize the mitotic spindle. Centrosome numbers must be tightly controlled by the cell as supernumerary centrosomes or centrosomes loss generate mitotic errors. Hence, defects in centrosomes have been related to several human diseases, from cancer to genetic and neurodegenerative disorders. At the beginning of my postdoc, I worked on the centrosome duplication process and the role of the kinase Plk4, then I shifted my interests toward the interplay between centrosomes and intracellular vesicles. Indeed, intracellular trafficking of vesicles relies on motor proteins that move along MTs and defects in centrosomes have direct consequences on vesicle dynamics. I will present the results of my published and unpublished works on centrosomes and vesicles and their implications in human diseases.