Proteins are typically located in particular compartments within the cell, where they perform specific functions. However, proteins can also be found in unexpected cellular locations, suggesting that they might play novel roles yet to be discovered.

A team of researchers at Åbo Akademi University, led by Professor Lea Sistonen (Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology) and Docent Eva Henriksson (University Lecturer in Cell Biology), made a surprising discovery. They found that Talin-1, a protein primarily known for its role in cell adhesion at the periphery of the cell, can also be located in the cell nucleus, where the genetic material resides. Remarkably, nuclear Talin-1 was shown to influence the expression of genes that regulate cell-to-cell connections.

“Our results were surprising and required extensive verification, as Talin-1 has been studied for decades outside the nucleus, thereby challenging the established view of how Talin-1 functions”, explains Dr. Alejandro Da Silva, who is the first author of the recently published article entitled “Nuclear talin-1 provides a bridge between cell adhesion and gene expression”.

In the periphery of the cell, Talin-1 senses mechanical forces, stabilizes the adhesion of cells to their surroundings and facilitates cell movements in the body. Therefore, the surprising finding of nuclear Talin-1 raises numerous questions for future investigations. For example, how Talin-1 travels to the nucleus and whether sensing mechanical forces is required for its capacity to control gene expression. This discovery in basic Cell Biology has important medical implications, because mutations in Talin-1 have been linked to several diseases, such as cancer, cardiomyopathies, and hematologic disorders. Consequently, Talin-1 has already been suggested as an attractive drug target. Advancing our understanding of Talin-1’s cellular localization and function is therefore a critical step towards exploring its therapeutic potential.

This research was conducted within the CellMech Center of Excellence in Mechanostasis (2019–2023) at Åbo Akademi University. The CellMech project aimed to investigate how mechanical signals affect the functioning of cells and tissues. The study was financially supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Ella ja Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation. The results were published in iScience, an open access journal which belongs to Cell Press and can be found here.

For further information please contact:

Lea Sistonen, Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology
E-mail: lea.sistonen@abo.fi
Telephone: 02-2153311, 050-4013513

Eva Henriksson
E-mail: eva.henriksson@abo.fi

Alejandro Da Silva
E-mail: adasilva@abo.fi

Link to original press release >>