Research the Literature on Your Own

In addition to Ena/VASP, alpha-actinin is a well-established binding partner of zyxin, with connections to actin regulation.  Research the molecular functions of alpha-actinin and develop a hypothesis of how zyxin might participate in reinforcement of the actin cytoskeleton in conjunction with alpha-actinin.

The experiments described here utilize a uniaxial cyclic stretch device.  There is another class of cell-stretching apparatus that uses vacuum pressure to apply multi-directional cyclic stretch to cells cultured on flexible-bottomed culture plates (Flex Cell).  Compare and contrast the kinds of data capable of being generated in these two different systems.

Proteins of the p130Cas family of signal transducers have also been implicated as cellular stress sensors.  What is the mechanism by which p130Cas is thought to participate in mechanotransduction?  Members of the p130Cas family have been shown to bind directly to zyxin family members.  How might you determine whether p130Cas and zyxin are working together in a single stress sensing pathway, or whether they are functioning independently?

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