University of Basel study challenges role of coronin proteins

Researchers at the University of Basel have published a study in ‘PLOS Biology’ that challenges the long-standing scientific consensus regarding coronin proteins. For decades, scientific literature has characterized these proteins, which are found throughout the animal kingdom, as primary regulators of the actin cytoskeleton.

Led by Professor Jean Pieters at the Biozentrum, the research team utilized various experimental approaches to examine native coronins. Their findings suggest that coronins are largely dispensable for the overall organization of the actin cytoskeleton, as cells lacking these proteins continue to organize and remodel their actin networks normally. The study indicates that the coronin protein family performs additional roles beyond the previously assumed interaction with actin filaments.