Searching for amyloid forming bacteria using bioinformatics and experimental approaches

所有的细胞都必须分裂以确保有机体的生存。细胞分裂主要有两种类型，减数分裂和有丝分裂。为了繁殖，细胞通过一种称为减数分裂的特殊过程进行分裂，这种过程产生含有一半遗传物质的细胞。体细胞通过有丝分裂进行分裂，遗传物质保持在双复制水平，并产生两个子细胞。在有丝分裂中，中心体在组织微管和提供细胞分裂所需的极性方面起着关键作用。以往认为，减数分裂与有丝分裂的不同之处在于，在小鼠卵母细胞减数分裂的前期，中心体消失，伴随着中心粒的丧失，并形成多个包含中心周围物质的微管组织中心，这些中心参与纺锤体的组装。然而，最近的研究报道，中心粒残留物在完全发育的卵母细胞中持续存在。同样，我们在减数分裂的所有阶段都发现了富含中心素的簇。这个问题是至关重要的，因为减数分裂中中心体的存在不仅会改变我们对这一过程的理解，还将有助于我们理解第一次有丝分裂中心体是如何产生的。我们已经确定了一种新的蛋白质，以前被认为只存在于减数分裂，它既存在于减数分裂的中心体结构中，也存在于有丝分裂的中心体中。这个项目将集中于定义这一新的观察结果，并确定减数分裂中心在富含小体的发育中的作用。

All cells have to divide to ensure the survival of the organism. There are two main types of cellular division, meiosis and mitosis. For reproduction, cells divide through a specialised process called meiosis which produces cells with half the genetic material. Somatic cells divide by mitosis, where genetic material is maintained at a double copy level and two daughter cells are produced. In mitosis centrosomes play a critical role in organising microtubules and providing polarity required for cellular division. It was previously believed that meiosis differs from mitosis in that centrosomes dissipate in prophase of meiosis in mouse oocytes accompanied by the loss of centrioles and formation of multiple pericentriolar material-containing microtubule organising centres that are involved in spindle assembly instead. However, recent studies reported that centriole remnants persist in fully grown oocytes. Similarly, we identified centrin-rich clusters at all stages of the meiotic oocyte division. This question is of critical importance as presence of centrosome-like structures in meiosis would not only change our understanding of this process but would also help us understand how first mitotic centrosomes are created. We have identified a novel protein, previously believed to be exclusively meiotic, to be present in both centrosome-like structures in meiosis but also in mitotic centrosomes. This project will focus on defining this novel observation and determining the role of meiotic centrin rich bodies in development.