Measuring dynamics of native lipid species in living cells

Principal investigator: Nadler

Prominent signaling lipid classes such as diacylglycerols comprise many chemically distinct lipid species. The cellular role of this molecular diversity is poorly understood. One intriguing hypothesis is that the cell uses these molecules to fine-tune cellular signaling events through altered affinities and lipid dynamics in specific cellular membranes. Focusing on the diacylglycerol / Protein kinase C signaling network, we test this hypothesis by using photoactivatable (caged) diacylglycerol probes in highly specific uncaging assays. Ultimately, these probes will enable us to determine lipid-protein affinities in quantitative live cell experiments.