Leif Dehmelt

Selective covalent-allosteric tools to dissect Akt2

This study develops Akt2-selective covalent-allosteric probes for functional studies and mechanistic insights into Akt2's role in health and disease.

Constitutive plasma membrane interaction of active Rho GEF Ect2 inhibits cortex contraction pulses

This study shows that constitutive plasma membrane association of active Ect2 suppresses pulsatile Rho activity dynamics during mitosis, unlike Lbc-type GEFs.

Logic-gating the HaloTag system with Conditional-Halo-ligator 'CHalo' reagents

The paper introduces CHalo reagents that conditionally ligate to HaloTag proteins, enabling light- or enzyme-triggered labeling, protein recruitment control, and enzyme activity recording.

Rnd3 regulates cell morphodynamics by spatial restriction of cell contraction signaling

This paper shows that Rnd3 inhibits RhoA to spatially restrict cell contraction signaling, regulating cell shape dynamics during migration.

Optogenetic stimulation of Lbc GEF-mediated Rho activity dynamics promotes cell invasion

This study uses optogenetics to control Lbc GEF activity in melanoma cells, showing that increased Rho activity enhances contraction dynamics, spheroid expansion, and cell escape.

The ROCK1 PH domain interacts with active Rho to transduce cell contraction signals

The paper identifies a novel RhoA binding site in the ROCK1 PHC1 domain that mediates Rho activity transduction to Myosin II activation.

Non-muscle Myosin II acts as a negative feedback mediator to control cell contraction dynamics

This study identifies Myosin-II as the mediator of negative feedback in cell contraction dynamics, showing its role in spatially restricting contraction signals and inhibiting Rho activity.

Crosstalk between Rac and Rap GTPases in migrating cells

This study investigates the spatio-temporal activity patterns of Rac and Rap GTPases in migrating cells and finds that Rap activates Rac unidirectionally, contributing to protrusion formation and stabilization.