The Impact of Dimerization and Condensate Formation on Notch Signaling Outcomes

Communication between cells is the cornerstone of multicellular life. This communication is facilitated through signal transduction, wherein an environmental que activates a transducer on the surface of the cell or within it. This signal is recognized and transmitted in a way that integrates every other signal that the cell is receiving at the time, culminating in a dynamic dance of molecular components producing finely tuned responses to the cellular environment. Notch signaling facilitates direct communication between neighboring cells, as well as response to various microenvironmental stimuli, to influence cell differentiation and fate. As insinuated above, these communication pathways do not exist in isolation, but instead are influenced by interacting molecules from other activated pathways. Aside from external pathway regulation, internal pathway regulation occurs between components inherent in the original signaling transduction. The work contained in the dissertation addresses various aspects of these internal regulatory mechanisms, in which I outline previously unknown internal interactions between components of Notch signaling and assess the role of MAML1 condensate formation between Notch and others. Deepening our understanding of the internal mechanisms that regulate cell differentiation adds another stone on the path in developing therapeutics to combat Notch related disorders.