Kulathu Lab
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What We Study

Our laboratory is interested in understanding how signal transduction is mediated in cells by the posttranslational modification of proteins. Our main focus is the ubiquitin system where the attachment of ubiquitin can alter the function and fate of the modified protein. By using a multidisciplinary approach, we aim to get mechanistic insights into how fundamental cellular processes are modulated by ubiquitylation to maintain cellular homeostasis. Of late, we have also expanded our research into the poorly studied ubiquitin-like modifer UFM1 which is essential for protein biogenesis and endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis. We aim at getting detailed biochemical and molecular insights into these processes by focussing on the enzymes that add the modification, modules that recognize and decode the modification, and proteases which remove them.
Today, we have 3 main focus areas of research in the lab:
  1. How do different ubiquitin signals couple to different signalling outcomes and how is ubiquitylation regulated by Deubiquitinases (DUBs)?
  2. How are proteins modified with UFM1 and why is this modification essential to maintain ER homeostasis?
  3. How are the IRAK kinases activated and regulated in innate immune signalling?

Click to learn more about our research

Ubiquitin signalling
UFM1 Biology
kinase mechanisms

Our Approach

We use a multidisciplinary approach in our research. We routinely employ diverse techniques including biochemical, structural biology (X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM), protein engineering, cell biology, mouse models and proteomics to get detailed mechanistic insights. We also collaborate extensively as we strongly believe that a team effort to science is fun and is best to tackle challenging research questions.

Support

The research we do would not be possible without the generous support we receive from these funding bodies
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