Projects :: Functions of claudins in junctional architecture
Claudins are central, but poorly understood components of both Drosophila and Verterate paracellular barrier juntions. Drosophila and vertebrates both have multiple claudins that do not have equivalent functions. Mutations in Drosophila claudins sinuous and megatrachea cause distinct junctional defects, which provides a powerful in vivo (genetic) and in vitro (cell culture) system to investigate the multiple roles of claudins in controlling junctional architecture. Preliminary studies indicate that Sinuous and Megatrachea have differential interactions with junctional components and we are investigating how their roles in creating the complex macromolecular complexes in cell-cell junctions.
