Project information
Triggering Energy for Migration via Cytoskeletal Rearrangements

Cell migration is essential for embryonic development, immune defense, and cancer metastasis, and requires a rapid and efficient supply of ATP. My research uncovers a previously unrecognized mechanism linking cytoskeletal contractility to mitochondrial activity. I discovered that Prickle, a core WNT/PCP protein, directly interacts with mitochondrial complex I, enhancing ATP production in migrating cells. This finding suggests that migrating cells actively coordinate actomyosin dynamics with mitochondrial function to meet high energy demands. Using Xenopus, advanced imaging, and proteomics, the project investigates (i) the PCP–mitochondrial signaling axis via Prickle translocation, (ii) Prickle-dependent ATP dynamics during migration, and (iii) mitochondrial trafficking toward energy-demanding regions in migrating cells.