Author: Henok Karvonen

Cells are continuously exposed to tissue-specific extrinsic forces that are counteracted by cell-intrinsic force generation through the actomyosin cytoskeleton and alterations in the material properties of various cellular components, including the nucleus. Forces impact nuclei both directly through inducing deformation, which is sensed by various mechanosensitive components of the nucleus,…

Actin polymerization generates forces for cellular processes throughout the eukaryotic kingdom, but our understanding of the ‘ancient’ actin turnover machineries is limited. We show that, despite > 1 billion years of evolution, pathogenic Leishmania major parasite and mammalian actins share the same overall fold and co-polymerize with each other. Interestingly,…

The actomyosin cytoskeleton serves as a key regulator of the integrity and remodeling of epithelial barriers by controlling assembly and functions of intercellular junctions and cell-matrix adhesions. Although biochemical mechanisms that regulate the activity of non-muscle myosin II (NM-II) in epithelial cells have been extensively investigated, little is known about…

Närvä Elisa, Taskinen Maria E, Lilla Sergio, Isomursu Aleksi, Pietilä Mika, Weltner Jere, Isola Jorma, Sihto Harri, Joensuu Heikki, Zanivan Sara, Norman Jim, Ivaska Johanna Abstract MASTL is a mitotic accelerator with an emerging role in breast cancer progression. However, the mechanisms behind its oncogenicity remain largely unknown. Here,…

Surfactant protein C (SP-C) has several functions in pulmonary surfactant. These include the transfer of lipids between different membrane structures, a role in surfactant recycling and homeostasis, and involvement in modulation of the innate defense system. Despite these important functions, the structures of functional SP-C complexes have remained unclear. SP-C…

Immune evasion facilitates survival of Borrelia, leading to infections like relapsing fever and Lyme disease. Important mechanism for complement evasion is acquisition of the main host complement inhibitor, factor H (FH). By determining the 2.2 Å crystal structure of Factor H binding protein A (FhbA) from Borrelia hermsii in complex…

SignificanceThe pseudokinase integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a central component of focal adhesions, cytoplasmic multiprotein complexes that integrate and transduce biochemical and mechanical signals from the extracellular environment into the cell and vice versa. However, the precise molecular functions, particularly the mechanosensory properties of ILK and the significance of retained adenosine…

In breast cancer, the currently approved anti-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-2 (HER2) therapies do not fully meet the expected clinical goals due to therapy resistance. Identifying alternative HER2-related therapeutic targets could offer a means to overcome these resistance mechanisms. We have previously demonstrated that an endosomal sorting protein, sortilin-related receptor (SorLA),…