This thesis summarises research performed with the intent of exploring the many facets of cell death. In the first part of the thesis, the fate of the formin-homology domain containing protein FHOD1 during apoptosis is examined (research performed in the laboratory of Dr. Sophie Roy) and evidence for the cleavage of FHOD1 by caspase-3 at the SVPD616 site is demonstrated. Moreover, the C-terminal FHOD1 cleavage product is shown to translocate to the nucleolus where it inactivates RNA polymerase I transcription. / In the second part of the thesis, the role of the RNA-binding protein HuR in cancer cell migration and invasion, as well as in multidrug resistance is determined using RNA interference to knockdown the expression of HuR in HeLa and KB-V1 cells respectively (research performed in the laboratory of Dr. Imed Gallouzi). In this part of the thesis, HuR is shown to promote cancer cell migration and invasion by stabilizing the beta-actin mRNA in a U-rich-dependent manner. Moreover, evidence is shown for the potential involvement of HuR in the phenomenon of multidrug resistance possibly through the post-transcriptional regulation of the multidrug resistance 1 gene.

Early Drosophila development is a coordinated series of temporal and spatial events leading to specific localized gene expression. The maternally expressed gene Bicaudal-C (Bic-C) encodes a KH-domain RNA binding protein required in the developing oocyte for anterior-posterior patterning and follicle cell migration. The dominant heterozygous phenotype results in the development of embryos with bicaudal and head defects. A two-hybrid screen using BIC-C as "bait" identified the novel protein ANTIMEROS (ATMS) and the SH3-domain containing protein MILE END (MILE). / ATMS is highly conserved between humans and mice, its expression is almost entirely female-specific, and is limited to certain developmental stages. Mutant alleles for atms are able to dominantly enhance the phenotype of Bic-C heterozygotes confirming the Bic-C-atms interaction. Here I show that NOS mislocalization causes the trans-heterozygous phenotype, as introduction of a nos mutation strongly suppresses the bicaudal phenotype. nos transcripts show a hyper-polyandenylation in atms mutant ovaries, an indicator of translational activation, suggesting that ATMS and BIC-C function as translational repressors of nos through changes in its poly(A) tail length. / MILE, contains two highly conserved SH3 domains at the C-terminus. Experiments involving the analysis of mutant alleles and overexpression mile transgenic lines show that MILE is a negative regulator of both Torso and Egfr RTK signaling. Its not clear what functional role BIC-C may have with RTK signaling, but recent evidence suggests that posterior group gene expression influence terminal pole RTK signaling.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D.). / Written for the Dept. of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/05/09). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Sc.). / Written for the Dept. of Biochemistry. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/07/30). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-138).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [126]-149).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-135).

Thesis (doctoral)--Lund University, 1998. / Added t.p. with thesis statement inserted. Includes bibliographical references.