Regulation of Actomyosin Ring Formation in Budding Yeast
Department
Biological Sciences
Major
Biological Sciences and Chemistry
Research Advisor
Shannon, Katie
Advisor's Department
Biological Sciences
Funding Source
Missouri S&T Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences (OURE) Program
Abstract
Our research lab is interested in cytokinesis, the division of a cell into two daughter cells. Cytokinesis failure results in polyploidy, which may contribute to tumorigenesis or cause cell death.
My research project is focused on IQG1. IQG1 is a protein required for cytokinesis in budding yeast. IQG1 is necessary to recruit actin to the actomyosin ring at the division site during M phase. I have tested the hypothesis that overexpression of IQG1 can promote premature actin ring formation. Using a strain with IQG1 under control of the inducible GAL1 promoter, cells were synchronized using [missing character] factor, fixed at numerous time points as cells progress through mitosis, and stained for actin to determine the timing of actin ring formation. My data does not show premature actin ring formation as a result of IQG1 overexpression. An alternative hypothesis is that actin ring formation is regulated by Mlc1. Mlc1 is a myosin light chain that binds IQG1 and is required for IQG1 localization. I am currently creating a strain overexpressing Mlc1 to test this hypothesis.
Biography
Joseph Karas is a senior Biological Sciences major from Chicago, IL. He has worked for a year in Dr. Shannon’s cytokinesis lab. Joe has also worked during the summer as an industrial chemist. Joe was on the Missouri S&T Cross country team and worked for the school newspaper.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Presentation Date
08 Apr 2009, 9:00 am - 11:45 am
Regulation of Actomyosin Ring Formation in Budding Yeast
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Our research lab is interested in cytokinesis, the division of a cell into two daughter cells. Cytokinesis failure results in polyploidy, which may contribute to tumorigenesis or cause cell death.
My research project is focused on IQG1. IQG1 is a protein required for cytokinesis in budding yeast. IQG1 is necessary to recruit actin to the actomyosin ring at the division site during M phase. I have tested the hypothesis that overexpression of IQG1 can promote premature actin ring formation. Using a strain with IQG1 under control of the inducible GAL1 promoter, cells were synchronized using [missing character] factor, fixed at numerous time points as cells progress through mitosis, and stained for actin to determine the timing of actin ring formation. My data does not show premature actin ring formation as a result of IQG1 overexpression. An alternative hypothesis is that actin ring formation is regulated by Mlc1. Mlc1 is a myosin light chain that binds IQG1 and is required for IQG1 localization. I am currently creating a strain overexpressing Mlc1 to test this hypothesis.
