Cell-free extracts from frog eggs that reproduces intracellular interactions between actin filaments and microtubules.

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26650058
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cell biology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Ohsumi Keita 名古屋大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (20221822)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): IWABUCHI Mari 名古屋大学, 理学研究科, 講師 (40275350)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞骨格 / アクチンフィラメント / 微小管 / 無細胞系

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In eukaryotic cells, interaction between actin filaments and microtubules and its regulation play important roles particularly in cell division, although they remain to be investigated partly because of the absence of in vitro systems that allow their analysis. In this study, we have prepared cell-free extract from frog eggs that reproduces intracellular dynamics of both actin filaments and microtubule. Using this in vitro system, we have found that nuclear actin filaments are essential for the maintenance of chromatin binding to the nuclear envelope. We have also demonstrated that both of the cytoskeletal filaments are involved for condensed chromosomes to be aligned on the mitotic spindle in M-phase.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学