Juliana L. Zang

Synthetic cargo adaptors reveal molecular features that can enhance dynein activation

This study engineers synthetic cargo adaptors to investigate how they modulate dynein activation and transport properties in vitro and in cells.

Axonal injury signaling is restrained by a spared synaptic branch

The paper shows that Wnd/DLK signaling in Drosophila motoneurons is activated only when synaptic terminals are completely removed, not when they are partially spared.

CCSer2 gates dynein activity at the cell periphery

The paper identifies CCSer2 as a protein that gates dynein activity at the cell periphery by inhibiting its regulator Ndel1, enabling spatially restricted dynein activation.