Cytoskeletal regulation during c. elegans embryogenesis

c. 细胞骨架调节

• 批准号: 371363-2009
• 负责人: Piekny, Alisa
• 金额: $ 2.7万
• 依托单位: Concordia University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=528187
• 关键词: Cytoskeletal; regulation; during; c.; elegans

We will investigate how the cytoskeleton mediates cell shape changes, a process that is fundamental for the development of eukaryotes. The cytoskeleton is composed of filamentous networks of proteins such as actin, myosin and tubulin that provide the architecture of the cell and are carefully regulated to mediate cell shape changes. If cells fail to change shape during development, this failure could prevent proper tissue formation, which would be disastrous for the organism. In addition, cancer cells also undergo shape changes for metastases and tumour progression, by a mechanism similar to cells during development. Recent studies in cell division revealed a role for anillin as a global scaffold and regulator of the cytoskeleton. However most of these studies were done on cells in culture and it is not known if anillin regulates additional contractile events that are relevant within the context of a tissue. I hypothesize that anillin modulates cytoskeletal dynamics to mediate cell shape changes during embryonic development by a mechanism similar to cell division. To test this hypothesis, I will use a combination of molecular, genetic and biochemical techniques using C. elegans embryogenesis as a model to investigate the regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics by anillin in vivo. These studies will be of general interest to the public given the fundamental roles that the cytoskeleton has for development and cancer progression.

我们将研究细胞骨架如何介导细胞形状的变化，这是真核生物发育的基本过程。细胞骨架由肌动蛋白、肌球蛋白和微管蛋白等蛋白质的丝状网络组成，这些蛋白质提供细胞的结构，并被仔细调节以介导细胞形状的变化。如果细胞在发育过程中不能改变形状，这种失败可能会阻止适当的组织形成，这对生物体来说将是灾难性的。此外，癌细胞也会因转移和肿瘤进展而发生形状变化，其机制与发育期间的细胞相似。最近在细胞分裂中的研究揭示了苯胺作为细胞骨架的整体支架和调节剂的作用。然而，这些研究中的大多数是在培养的细胞上进行的，并且不知道苯胺醛是否调节与组织背景相关的额外收缩事件。我推测，苯胺调节细胞骨架动力学介导细胞形状的变化在胚胎发育过程中的机制类似于细胞分裂。为了验证这一假设，我将使用分子、遗传和生物化学技术的组合，使用C。线虫胚胎发生为模型，以研究细胞骨架动态的调控苯胺在体内。鉴于细胞骨架对癌症发展和进展的基本作用，这些研究将引起公众的普遍兴趣。