How cargo transporters switch into microtubule organisers

Inside cells, protein filaments called microtubules, act both as a skeleton providing mechanical stability and as the main transport highways to deliver cargo to everywhere in the cell. Molecular machines transport cargo and also configure the microtubule tracks. Here we aim to understand in detail how these transporters switch between their transporting and track organising activities. We will identify cellular components that trigger this switch, aim to understand when and where in the cell transporters organise microtubules and how several of these molecular machines work together. The transporters we study are known to cause neurological diseases such as HSP and CMT2 if mutated. We aim to reveal how cargo delivery and microtubule organisation contribute to shaping neuronal and muscle cells. This will be a crucial first step to understand how changes in the transport machinery cause the disease symptoms and to develop effective treatment strategies in the future.