A post-doc position is now open in the Institut Curie, Paris France, in the Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic and Tumoral Development biology/physics interdisciplinary team. We have recently discovered the mechano-sensitive expression of both Drosophila developmental genes and mammalian colon tumor progression genes[1-4]. Specifically, Armadillo/β-catenin is activated in response to mechanical strain and translocates into the nuclei in early Drosophila embryos and in APC/ colon tissues, where it transcribes developmental and tumour genes, such as Twist. These primary observations indicate a potential role of mechanical strains in colon cancer initiation or progression within the APC/ genetic context. The project aims at testing the involvement of endogenous mechanical strains in tumour initiation or progression in the APC+/- genetic background, and at discovering the mechano-sensors initiating β-catenin activation for potential drug targeting. Contact: Emmanuel Farge, efarge@curie.fr.
1. Scott, I.C., and Stainier, D.Y. (2003). Developmental biology: twisting the body into shape. Developmental biology: twisting the body into shape 425, 461-463.
2. Desprat, N., Supatto, W., Pouille, P.A., Beaurepaire, E., and Farge, E. (2008). Forces Driven by Morphogenesis Modulate Twist Expression to Determine Anterior-Midgut Differentiation in Drosophila Embryos. Dev Cell 15, 470-477.
3. Whitehead, J., Vignjevic, D., Fütterer, C., Robine , S., and Farge, E. (2008). Mechanical factors activate β-catenin-dependent oncogene expression in APC1638N/+ mouse colon. HFSPJ 2, 286-294.
4. Purnell, B. (2008). Editor’s Choice: Development: Giving a Twist to Twist. Science 322.
