Event Title
Characterizing Protein-protein Interactions for Accurate Cell Division in Fission Yeast
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Biomedical Sciences
Mentor Information
Dawn Clifford Hart
Department
Cell and Molecular Biology
Location
Kirkhof Center KC56
Start Date
10-4-2013 9:00 AM
End Date
10-4-2013 10:00 AM
Abstract
Cell division is a necessary process for growth and development. Fission yeast (S. pombe) cells provide a model system to study polarity and cytokinetic mechanisms because, like human cells, they grow in a bipolar fashion and divide symmetrically through contraction of an acto-myosin ring. Mid1 is a founding protein of the acto-myosin ring that helps recruit ring proteins and define the division plane. Without Mid1, there is incomplete, uneven division. The orb class of S. pombe mutants is classified by the loss of cell polarity and round shape. To study if these polarity defects are related to cytokinetic defects, we have examined interactions between Mid1 and orb mutants. These orb mutants show more binucleate cells with internal septa, paired configurations, differing localizations of Mid1, and higher protein levels of Mid1. These phenotypes suggest a relationship between cytokinetic defects and the polarity genes, as well as a link between Mid1 and the Orb proteins.
Characterizing Protein-protein Interactions for Accurate Cell Division in Fission Yeast
Kirkhof Center KC56
Cell division is a necessary process for growth and development. Fission yeast (S. pombe) cells provide a model system to study polarity and cytokinetic mechanisms because, like human cells, they grow in a bipolar fashion and divide symmetrically through contraction of an acto-myosin ring. Mid1 is a founding protein of the acto-myosin ring that helps recruit ring proteins and define the division plane. Without Mid1, there is incomplete, uneven division. The orb class of S. pombe mutants is classified by the loss of cell polarity and round shape. To study if these polarity defects are related to cytokinetic defects, we have examined interactions between Mid1 and orb mutants. These orb mutants show more binucleate cells with internal septa, paired configurations, differing localizations of Mid1, and higher protein levels of Mid1. These phenotypes suggest a relationship between cytokinetic defects and the polarity genes, as well as a link between Mid1 and the Orb proteins.