Molecular mechanism of the initiation of centriole duplication

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14706
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44010:Cell biology-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Health Sciences (2019); The University of Tokyo (2018)
• Principal Investigator: Yoshiba Satoko 国立医薬品食品衛生研究所, 生化学部, 主任研究官 (70642213)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 中心小体複製 / PLK4 / STIL / SAS-6

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the cell cycle, a single daughter centriole is formed next to the pre-existing centriole. The key questions that I addressed in this study are how PLK4, STIL and SAS-6 sequentially localize to the mother centriole and form a complex to initiate the formation of a new centriole. In this study I tried to understand the molecular mechanism how STIL and SAS-6 load to the PLK4 condensate, which self-assembles under the control of its auto-phosphorylation. By analyzing the interactions and molecular properties of these proteins, I obtained several new findings, which would provide a basis for the future research in this field.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、動物細胞において進化的に保存された細胞小器官である、中心小体の複製開始のしくみを分子的に明らかにしようとした。細胞内において、無秩序な分子の集合が、どのようにして秩序を持つ構造体の形成につながるのかは、細胞生物学における重要な問題の一つであるが、本研究において中心小体をモデルとして、問題提起および今後に繋がる研究ができたことは、広く基礎生物学研究において学術的意義があったと考える。