New roles for old lysosomal proteins in autophagy, cell division and neuronal health: lessons from Drosophila

Venue: Edificio Povo 2, via Sommarive nr. 9, Povo (Tn) - Room B101
 At 2:00 p.m.

• Thomas Vaccari - IFOM- FIRC Institiute of Molecular Oncology, La boratory Membrane trafficking and tissue architecture, Milan, Italy

The Vaccari lab investigates fundamental questions concerning the role of membrane trafficking in tissue architecture in health and in disease. In particular, we focus on the function of trafficking regulators, such as Endosomal Sorting Required for Transport (ESCRT) proteins, vacuolar-H+ ATPase (V-ATPase) components and Soluble NSF Attachment Protein Receptors (SNAREs), such as Snap29, that control endocytosis and autophagy. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, we have recently studied the role of lysosomal plasticity in regulation of Notch signaling (Tognon et al 2016 Autophagy) and the function of Snap29 in autophagy and in cell division (Morelli et al 2014 Autophagy; Morelli, Mastrodonato et al 2016 The EMBO Journal). During the seminar, I will present this work, and I will discuss more recent and unpublished data concerning the role of additional trafficking regulators in two different aspects of neuronal health. Overall, my presentation will demonstrate how known membrane trafficking regulators play unexpected new functions in cellular processes that support tissue development and homeostasis.