Characterisation of a novel haematopoietic regulator Mlkl
Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which the pseudokinase domain-containing proteins, the Janus kinases and Mlkl, regulate blood cell production
Pseudokinase domains resemble protein kinase domains, but are predicted to lack phosphotransfer activity due to the absence of key catalytic motifs. Recent studies have illustrated that pseudokinases are not merely inert scaffolds, but instead are critical signal transducers whose mutation underlies many human pathologies.
Our studies are directed towards understanding the activities of the Janus kinases (JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TYK2) and a novel pseudokinase, Mixed lineage kinase domain-like (Mlkl), as downstream effectors of cytokine signalling using a spectrum of structural biology, biochemical, biological, proteomic and biophysical studies.
These studies are being performed in collaboration with Dr Jeff Babon, Professor Peter Colman, Dr Peter Czabotar (Structural Biology Division), Professors Nick Nicola, Warren Alexander (Cancer and Haematology Division) and Doug Hilton (Molecular Medicine Division), and Dr Ren Dobson (University of Melbourne).