Professor Frances Brodsky
The biochemistry, cell biology and physiological functions of clathrin proteins
The Brodsky laboratory investigates the biochemistry, cell biology and physiological functions of clathrin proteins, with particular focus on:
- The molecular basis for clathrin function.
- Clathrin proteins' roles in physiology, including lymphocyte function, glucose metabolism and oncogenesis, and potential therapeutic value.
- The genetic diversity and evolutionary origins of the clathrin proteins, and the functional consequences of clathrin subunit diversity.
Towards these goals, we employ a range of scientific techniques, including biochemical analysis, protein production and purification, mass spectrometry, tissue culture and cellular assays, electron and confocal light microscopy, physiological models and human and evolutionary genetics.
Selected publications
CHC22 and CHC17 have distinct biochemical properties and display differential regulation and function
Dannhauser, P.N., Camus, S.M., Sakamoto, K., Sadacca, L.A., Torres, J.A., Camus, M.D., Briant, K., Vassilopoulos, S., Rothnie, A., Smith, C.J., Brodsky, F.M.
Journal of Biological Chemistry (2017) 292:20834-20844.
Clathrin light chains' role in selective endocytosis influences antibody isotype switching
Wu, S., Majeed, S.R., Evans, T.M., Camus, M.D., Wong, N.M.L., Schollmeier, Y., Park, M., Muppidi, J.R., Reboldi, A., Parham, P., Cyster, J.G., Brodsky, F.M.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2016) 113:9816-21.
Clathrin light chains are required for the gyrating-clathrin recycling pathway and thereby promote cell migration.
Majeed, S.R., Vasudevan, L., Chen, C.Y., Luo, Y., Torres, J.A., Evans, T.M., Sharkey, A., Foraker, A.B., Wong, N.M., Esk, C., Freeman, T.A., Moffett, A., Keen, J.H., Brodsky, F.M.
Nature Communications (2014) 5:3891.