# Intermediate Filaments: Motility, Motors and Cytoskeletal Interactions

> **NIH NIH P01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $249,801

## Abstract

Project Summary—Project 2 (Gelfand)
The goal of this proposal is to study dynamic interactions of vimentin intermediate filaments with two other
components of the cytoskeleton, microtubules and actin microfilaments, as well as interactions of VIF with
membrane organelles. We will study how intermediate filaments move along microtubules and identify
microtubule motors that power this movement. We will determine biochemical basis of vimentin interactions
with microtubule motors and identify molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of these interactions,
such as posttranslational modifications of vimentin. We will also find molecular mechanisms of vimentin
interaction with actin microfilaments and their bundles and with components of focal adhesions. We will test if
interactions of VIF with focal adhesions affect stability of cell-substrate interactions and how vimentin in focal
adhesions modulates cell motility. We will identify molecular linkers between actin and intermediate filaments
and study functional implications of this association. We will also find how intermediate filaments invade focal
adhesions, which focal adhesion proteins link them in place and how intermediate filaments regulate adhesion
turnover. Finally, the role of vimentin filaments in transport of membrane organelles will be investigated using
two model systems, mitochondria and pigment organelles (melanosomes) in melanophores, because both of
these organelles contain bound PKA and PKA-dependent phosphorylation is likely regulated in concert with
intermediate filament dynamics and organelle transport.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9994769
- **Project number:** 5P01GM096971-08
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Vladimir I Gelfand
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $249,801
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2011-06-15 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9994769

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9994769, Intermediate Filaments: Motility, Motors and Cytoskeletal Interactions (5P01GM096971-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9994769. Licensed CC0.

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