Effects of Phosphorylation on Dbf2
Department
Biological Sciences
Major
Chemical Engineering
Research Advisor
Shannon, Katie
Advisor's Department
Biological Sciences
Funding Source
OURE
Abstract
Cytokinesis is the physical process of cell division, which divides the cytoplasm between the two new daughter cells. One important pathway that regulates cytokinesis is called the Mitotic Exit Network, or MEN for short. The MEN is a signaling pathway that allows a dividing cell to complete cytokinesis and exit mitosis. To study cytokinetic defects, budding yeast is used a model organism. Of interest is the regulation of Dbf2, a MEN protein, by phosphorylation. Mutant alleles of the dbf2 gene that prevent phosphorylation or dephosphorylation have been created on a plasmid. The plasmid is duplicated and purified from bacterial cells, then inserted in yeast cells. After growth of the yeast colonies, the cells with Dbf2 mutations can be observed during mitosis through use of fluorescence microscopy to determine the effects of the mutations on cytokinesis.
Biography
Alex Ayres is currently in his 4th year at Missouri University of Science and Technology and plans on graduating in December with a degree in Chemical Engineer, minoring in Biology. For the last 3 years he has performed research on Cytokinesis in budding yeast under the guidance of Dr. Katie Shannon. After graduating, he plans on attending graduate school, and hopes to receive a Phd in Medical Microbiology.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Document Type
Presentation
Award
Sciences oral presentation, First place
Location
Carver Room
Presentation Date
11 Apr 2017, 9:00 am - 9:20 am
Effects of Phosphorylation on Dbf2
Carver Room
Cytokinesis is the physical process of cell division, which divides the cytoplasm between the two new daughter cells. One important pathway that regulates cytokinesis is called the Mitotic Exit Network, or MEN for short. The MEN is a signaling pathway that allows a dividing cell to complete cytokinesis and exit mitosis. To study cytokinetic defects, budding yeast is used a model organism. Of interest is the regulation of Dbf2, a MEN protein, by phosphorylation. Mutant alleles of the dbf2 gene that prevent phosphorylation or dephosphorylation have been created on a plasmid. The plasmid is duplicated and purified from bacterial cells, then inserted in yeast cells. After growth of the yeast colonies, the cells with Dbf2 mutations can be observed during mitosis through use of fluorescence microscopy to determine the effects of the mutations on cytokinesis.
