Project Summary
Nerve cells are permanently exchanging information, and their activity patterns change in milliseconds; however, our understanding of the processes underlying these rapid changes in neuronal activity is still limited. During the last decade, a small class of phospholipids named phosphoinositides has emerged as a key regulator of most aspects of a nerve cell’s life, and the levels of specific phosphoinositides as well as their localization in cells of the nervous system profoundly influence neuronal signaling. This project uses a combination of genetic, biochemical, and computational approaches to characterize the multiple roles phosphoinositides fulfill in nerve cells.