Preview
Creation Date
Spring 2026
Description
Proteins are shipped throughout the cell along defined trafficking routes using membrane packets called vesicles. Trafficking is essential to cell function, as incorrect trafficking can lead to disease. Here in Edwards lab, we are investigating a Drosophila phosphate transporter protein called PXo, whose human version underlies specific types of cancer and neurodegeneration. Our novel version of this protein has been fluorescently tagged allowing us to view its trafficking route within the cell using confocal microscopy. PXo is typically trafficked along a defined route; however, we noted that our tagged version follows an alternative route. Here we show that tagged PXo (Red) is trafficked to the membrane where it is then brought back into the cell in vesicles called endosomes (Green), with the nucleus (Blue) shown for reference. This research can provide valuable insight into the mechanisms of these trafficking routes and their effect on disease.