Lindy Hop and Charleston Routine about phosducin for “Dance Your PhD 2009“

“Dance your PhD 2009“ contest entry Rachelle Gaudet Michael Richters (aka transducin beta-gamma) and I (aka phosducin) use Lindy Hop and Charleston to illustrate my PhD thesis: Structural analysis of phosducin and its phosphorylation-regulated interaction with transducin beta-gamma. These proteins function in our eyes, as part of the retinal proteins that transmit visual signals to the brain. In a bright environment, phosducin binds to transducin beta-gamma and the two are found in the cytoplasm. Upon dark-adaptation, phosducin becomes phosphorylated, while transducin beta-gamma returns to the cellular membranes to increase the responses to small amounts of light. During my PhD, I determined the crystal structure of the complex of phosducin and transducin beta-gamma. In this complex, phosducin’s N-terminal half interacts extensively with beta-gamma, illustrated in our Lindy Hop dance, a partner dance which relies on intricate lead-follow technique. We dance the Lindy H