How to make two from one: the mechanism of cell division

Abstract:
Living organisms are made up of cells, which arise by division. Our work seeks to understand how cells physically divide into two through a process called cytokinesis. Timely and correct execution of cytokinesis is important for the development of organisms, where defects in cytokinesis can lead to diseases like infertility and cancer. During cytokinesis a complex structure called the contractile ring (CR) is formed at the cell center. This ring is composed of a large number of proteins, including structural and force generating proteins required to divide a mother cell into two daughter cells. How these proteins are assembled together to form the contractile "machines" that operate with high efficiency and fidelity is one of the important questions in cell biology. We investigate key issues pertaining to CR organization and contraction in fission yeast, using the methods of genetics, biochemistry, in vitro reconstitution, cellular imaging, electron cryotomography (ECT) and mathematical modelling.