NTEC Director co-authors article in Nature's EMBO Journal

FRISCO, TX - March 31, 2009 --- The North Texas Enterprise Center for Medical Technology (NTEC), a business accelerator for medical device and healthcare related technology firms, announced today that Dr. Hubert Zajicek, Director at NTEC for Technology, Inc. ("NTEC"), in Frisco, Texas, co-authored an article in Nature's EMBO Journal that was published online March 5th 2009. The article in the field of membrane cell and molceular biology points out new discoveries in membrane invaginations called caveolae and further defines the functional apparatus needed to regulate them.

The article is titled: " SRBC/cavin-3 is a caveolin adapter protein that regulates caveolae function". Authors with affiliations are listed below:

Kerrie-Ann McMahon 1, Hubert Zajicek 1, Wei-Ping Li 1, Michael J Peyton 2, 3, John D Minna 2, 3, V James Hernandez 1, Katherine Luby-Phelps 1 & Richard G W Anderson 1

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  2. Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
  3. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
  4. Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

     

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    Abstract

    www.ntec-inc.org .

    Caveolae are a major membrane domain common to most cells. One of the defining features of this domain is the protein caveolin. The exact function of caveolin, however, is not clear. One possible function is to attract adapter molecules to caveolae in a manner similar to how clathrin attracts molecules to coated pits. Here, we characterize a candidate adapter molecule called SRBC. SRBC binds PKCdelta and is a member of the STICK (substrates that interact with C-kinase) superfamily of PKC-binding proteins. We also show it co-immunoprecipitates with caveolin-1. A leucine zipper in SRBC is essential for both co-precipitation with caveolin and localization to caveolae. SRBC remains associated with caveolin when caveolae bud to form vesicles (cavicles) that travel on microtubules to different regions of the cell. In the absence of SRBC, intracellular cavicle traffic is markedly impaired. We conclude that SRBC (sdr-related gene product that binds to c-kinase) and two other family members [PTRF (Pol I and transcription release factor) and SDPR] function as caveolin adapter molecules that regulate caveolae function.

    　

    About NTEC

    The North Texas Enterprise Center for Medical Technology (NTEC), a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization based in Frisco, Texas, was founded to assist entrepreneurs with the challenging task of starting and growing a new medical technology company that will add economic value, technology jobs and breakthrough healthcare product innovations to the area. Founded in 2002, the Center provides a broad base of support to entrepreneurs both internally and through an extensive support network. Operating as a business accelerator, NTEC's core mission is to identify, mentor and grow promising entrepreneurial medical technology companies, with special emphasis in the medical device and healthcare related information technology (IT) industries. For more information visit NTEC at